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Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy, a tax-supported public charter school, is blurring the line between religion and public education by promoting Islam, according to a lawsuit filed today by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota.
The suit argues that the school is violating the First Amendment and the U.S. Constitution by sharing space with the Muslim American Society, promoting prayer in school and endorsing Muslim clothing rules and dietary practices.
"This is not a sectarian school that focuses on Middle Eastern culture," said Chuck Samuelson, executive director of the ACLU's state chapter. "This is a pervasively Muslim school that teaches religion."
The Minnesota Department of Education, the school's sponsor and several school leaders also were named in the suit filed in U.S District Court.