The use of LGBTQ-friendly picture books in schools has ignited a passionate debate at DaVinci Academy, a K-8 charter school located 20 miles north of Minneapolis. Parents of around 200 Muslim students are grappling with the school’s decision to incorporate these books into its curriculum, and they’re considering withdrawing their children from the institution. While the school offers an alternative for students who wish to opt-out, some parents are adamant that these books should be removed altogether.
The Absence Strike
During the week commencing September 26, approximately 20% of the student population at the academy carried out a strike by staying absent. The contentious issue of LGBTQ-friendly books resulted in 192 of the approximate 1,000 students being marked as absent daily. These figures have been confirmed by Holly Fischer, the school’s executive director. There were also additional absences, albeit smaller in number, due to other various reasons.
An Anti-Bias Curriculum
At DaVinci Academy, an anti-bias curriculum is practiced, aimed at students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The administration justifies the use of specific books as they assist children in understanding diversity in a way appropriate for their stage of development. The curriculum features a set of 120 books, put together by the local non-profit AmazeWorks. These books encapsulate stories of immigrants and children with disabilities, and twenty-four of them highlight LGBTQ characters. The school’s teachers read from this collection multiple times each month.
Challenges Beyond the Classroom
While these decisions have generated significant debate, the issues at play go beyond just the classroom. Parents argued that teaching children about LGBTQ issues infringes on their rights as parents and their religious beliefs. One parent, who is also an imam, pointed out that homosexuality is considered a “major sin” in Islam.
A Pause in Protests
Following the four-day attendance strike, students returned to class on October 2. The school board has scheduled a meeting for October 23, during which they plan to discuss establishing a parent committee to address the issue. Fischer is also organizing a meeting with the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which is representing the concerned parents. Still, these parents have made it clear that they might remove their children from DaVinci Academy if the school does not revise its curriculum.
DaVinci Academy’s Unique Position
DaVinci Academy has garnered attention due to its unique position in the education landscape. While it boasts above-average test scores, perhaps its most distinguishing feature is its relatively balanced math and reading scores between Black and white students, a rarity in a state known for significant educational achievement gaps. Sixty percent of the school’s students are white, but the recent enrollment surge has been driven by its reputation among Muslim families, who appreciate the school’s academic quality and diversity.
Growing Enrollment
In the four years from 2018-2019 to 2022-2023, the school witnessed an almost 20% increase in enrollment. A significant portion of the new students are Black, and about half of them speak languages other than English at home, including Arabic, Oromo, Somali, and Amharic. Given this influx of Muslim students at DaVinci Academy, parents argue that the school should have consulted with them before introducing the new curriculum material.
Nationwide Similarities
While the DaVinci Academy situation is capturing national attention, similar debates have unfolded across the United States. In the past year, Muslim families in different regions have pushed for LGBTQ book bans, protested policies that aim to affirm children’s gender identities, and sued for the right to opt their children out of LGBTQ-related materials.
Parent’s Rights Under Minnesota Law
In Minnesota, state law affords parents the chance to review the curriculum and make different arrangements if they deem any material inappropriate. During a school board meeting, Fischer underscored that it’s possible for every parent to opt out if they wish. She shared that several students already choose not to participate in certain lessons, with the school providing other learning options. However, Fischer highlighted the quandary of balancing the requirement of some students for LGBTQ-affirming books for their protection against other students’ needs, underscoring the complexities encountered by the school.
Accommodating Different Needs
Fischer mentioned that the school is actively exploring ways to accommodate a large number of students opting out of a specific lesson, hinting at the possibility of small groups reading different books simultaneously. Nevertheless, the Muslim parents who spoke at the school board meeting indicated their intention to leave if the school does not completely eliminate the books from the curriculum.
The Impact of Potential Departures
Sana Soussi, a parent and school board member, raised a pertinent question during the September 25 meeting: What would happen if 150 Muslim students left the school overnight? Fischer acknowledged that losing 150 students would have a profoundly detrimental impact.
AmazeWorks and Its Origins
AmazeWorks, a non-profit organization based in St. Paul, was born from an unfortunate homophobic occurrence in a Minneapolis public school classroom 27 years ago. Rebecca Slaby, the executive director at AmazeWorks, shared that this event led to the formation of a support group. This group used storytelling and picture books as tools to familiarize children with diverse family structures. DaVinci Academy adopted AmazeWorks’ anti-bias curriculum, which includes 20 age-appropriate picture books for each grade level from kindergarten to 5th grade, each carefully chosen to promote understanding of various forms of diversity.
Diverse Curriculum Topics
The mentioned books cover a diverse range of topics. These include the promotion of self-confidence in children starting school, celebrations of various cultures, and stories about immigrants and children with disabilities. Slaby claims that it is essential for kids to see themselves positively portrayed in the curriculum and understand the lives of people different from them. Teachers using these books have noticed a growth in empathy among students, as they interact with varied viewpoints and learn more about each other.
Diverse Curriculum Topics
At the school board meeting on September 25, approximately 80 parents, primarily from the Muslim community, attended to express their concerns about the AmazeWorks curriculum. However, only two were given the opportunity to speak during the customary 10-minute public comment period.
Respecting Religious Beliefs
One of these parents, Aboubakr Mekrami, conveyed gratitude to the teachers for their dedication to students. Still, he urged the school to respect the beliefs of Muslim families concerning LGBTQ topics. He emphasized the need for parents to have control over how such topics are presented to their children and that the school remove the AmazeWorks curriculum, underlining that this is not about book banning or exclusion but about respecting different beliefs.
Parents Voice Concerns
Amna Soussi, another parent, echoed these sentiments and attributed the school’s recent enrollment growth to the influx of Muslim families. She emphasized that introducing these topics could create stress and anxiety in their children, contradicting their fundamental beliefs and religion.
Parents Rights vs Equal Rights?
Soussi maintained that parents have the right to introduce sensitive, controversial, and religious-based topics to their children when they deem it appropriate, a right she felt the AmazeWorks curriculum denied them. She further stated that Muslim families were considering leaving the school, a decision that could have significant financial implications as public schools, including charter schools, receive state funding based on the number of enrolled students.
Respecting Beliefs
The debate continued for about an hour during the school board meeting, with discussions on various topics, such as test score results and field trips. Teachers also presented their experiences with the AmazeWorks curriculum.
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