Muslim children won't be required to read LGBT books in elementary schools in St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapolis, reports Mairead Elordi in the Daily Wire.
Six Somali Muslim parents had threatened to sue the district, saying that exposure to gay and transgender characters in picture books had caused their children "confusion and distress."
This fall, in an attempt to be more inclusive, St. Louis Park elementary schools introduced LGBT-themed books, including Our Subway Baby, about two men who adopt a baby, My Shadow Is Pink, about a boy who wears dresses, and Ho’onani: Hula Warrior, about a non-binary Hawaiian girl who wants to lead a boys hula team.
At an October school board meeting, three Somali Muslim women argued that they "respect the importance of affirming LGBTQ identities," but were "troubled" that the books urge "every child to delve into their own understanding of sexuality and gender identity."
Minnesota requires school districts to let parents review instructional materials, Elordi writes. If a parent objects, the district must “make reasonable arrangements . . . for alternative instruction.”
In a statement, St. Louis Park officials said the district would abide by the law, but added that parents can't opt their children out of classroom discussions because they “do not constitute instructional materials.”
“We think this is a win for religious freedom for people of all faiths," said Kayla Toney, an attorney with First Liberty Institute, which represented the families.
Under state law, all parents should be able to review instructional materials and request alternatives for their children, not just those with objections based on their religious faith. I suspect the Muslim immigrants aren't the only parents who'd prefer boys with a purple crayon over boys with a pink tutu.