Minnesota school district exempts Muslims from gender confusion materials

Muslim students in Minnesota’s St. Louis Park Public School District are exempt from reading materials that teach gender confusion.

Last year the district introduced several books pushing gender ideology such as “My Shadow is Pink,” which is about a boy who wears dresses; “Ho’onani: Hula Warrior,” which is about a Hawaiian “genderqueer” girl who wants to lead a boys’ hula team; and “Our Subway Baby,” which is about two men who adopt a baby together.

Although some parents complained, not all elementary schools in the district agreed to allow children to opt out. 

In December six Somali Muslim families, with the help of religious freedom legal firm First Liberty Institute, sent a letter to Aquila Elementary School and Susan Lindgren Elementary School threatening legal action. According to Sahan Journal the letter explained how “LGBTQ materials” and gender ideology are antithetical to Islam and have caused the families “significant confusion and distress.” The letter added that forcing children to absorb these materials is a violation of constitutional and Minnesota law, as well as St. Louis Park district policy.

Minnesota law requires school districts to “make reasonable arrangements with school personnel for alternative instruction” if parents object to class materials, subject to a review process.

The district responded in a statement claiming it has “always complied with the state law regarding parents’ statutory right to opt out of instructional materials, and we will continue to do so.”

“Opt-outs based on representation of protected classes do not uphold our values of creating safe and inclusive learning and working environments in our schools,” the statement begrudgingly added. “However, because it is required within state law, any change would need to happen with the involvement of state lawmakers.”

Class discussions on gender ideology, which are not classified as “instructional materials,” are not subject to opt-outs and will remain mandatory for all students. Nevertheless, the Muslim families are claiming a victory.

“We came to America for religious freedom in the Constitution, and so our kids will have a great opportunity,” said Hodan Hassan, a Muslim parent with four children in the district. “By granting us and other families the opportunity to opt out of teaching that violates our deeply held religious beliefs, families are able to raise their children according to the principle that they value the most.”