Minnesota School District Allows Muslim Families To Opt Out Of LGBT Lessons

A Minneapolis school district says it will allow families to opt out of LGBT curriculum materials after several Muslim families threatened to sue.

Somali Muslim families had threatened to sue St. Louis Park Public School District, claiming that not allowing families to opt out potentially violates the Constitution and state law.

In November 2023, the families’ attorneys sent the district a letter explaining Islamic teachings around gender and sexuality and the parents complaints about the LGBT books.

The families letter said many of the books caused “significant confusion and distress” to the children.

In a follow up statement, the St. Louis Park district said that 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 continued. “However, because it is required within state law, any change would need to happen with the involvement of state lawmakers.”