Somali parents hoping for better life for their kids are now fighting ‘woke’ Minnesota schools teaching ‘sexualized topics’ and pushing pro-transgender books on their grade-school children that violates their religion

By William On Dec 10, 2023

A handful of Somali parents who hoped to provide a better life for their children in Minnesota are now battling their public school district for teaching “sexualized topics” without their consent.

The First Liberty Institute represents six Somali-Muslim families who are asking to be notified before their children receive instruction about LGBTQ identity, saying it conflicts with their religious beliefs.

Their children are all between the ages of seven and nine, and the majority are in third and fourth grade.

Attorneys sent a letter to the school district on Thursday, first obtained by DailyMail.com, saying the district has failed “to notify parents before teaching controversial issues, or to give parents the opportunity revise the curriculum in advance'.

Minnesota state law requires the school district to notify parents before “sexual topics” are discussed in the classroom. In addition, parents should be able to determine whether the curriculum is “consistent” with their religious beliefs, and if it is not, they can choose to exclude their children from the curriculum.

Several books the children have already been exposed to, against the wishes of their Muslim parents, include: “My Shadow is Pink, Our Subway Baby, and Ho'onani: Hula Warrior.”

My Shadow is Pink is a rhyming story “that touches on the topics of gender identity, self-acceptance, equality and diversity,” according to the book's description on Amazon.

The boy realizes he likes activities and colors 'not for boys' as he explores his gender identity.

The children were already exposed to these texts without any notice or permission, the letter said.

“And they have no way of knowing what books their children will be exposed to next.”

A mother brought up the book “Our Subway Baby” at a recent school board meeting, saying it introduced her child to the concept of having two gay fathers.

“We are concerned about the way these books are presented to our children,” he says.

“This approach directly conflicts with our deeply held religious beliefs,” she continued, saying the Constitution protects these rights.

She said their “concerns are not rooted in hostility toward any group, including the LGBTQ community,” and that the families are “grateful” for the opportunity to live in a community that values ”diversity and freedom.”

Their request is simply to be made aware of the content of the material before presenting it to young children.

But attorneys for the families say the school district is still failing to provide advance notice or “an opportunity to review the curriculum” before their children are exposed.

Additionally, the district requires parents to describe their reasons for opting out, which they say is a “burdensome requirement.”

Furthermore, the families' religious beliefs are therefore invited to be 'scrutinised'.

An attorney representing the families says they are dealing with severe stress and anxiety because of the silence in the school district.

DailyMail.com reached out to the school district for comment and spokesperson Rachel Hicks confirmed receipt of the letter.

Hicks said the K-12 literacy program “reflects the storylines of LGBTQ+ students and families.”

St. Louis Park Public School administrators say the curriculum is “aligned” with the district's values

Moreover, the curriculum is 'in line' with the values of the district.

“We understand that families may have different perspectives and preferences when it comes to the curriculum, reading materials and literature topics covered in the classroom,” she said in the statement.

“We encourage parents and guardians to speak directly to their teachers and principals if they have any questions. We value the partnership of families in creating an educational environment that respects the needs and humanity of every student.”