The American Civil Liberties Union filed a law suit against Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy, also known as TIZA, claiming that the school is violating the First Amendment, which upholds the separation of the Church and State.
TIZA is funded by state and federal money, therefore should not implement, or enforce religion, nor religious activities such as prayers in the school that is supposed to be public. According to an article from the Star tribune, ACLU alleges that there are prayers posted on school’s walls, and there are scheduled prayers in which both school staff and students are participants. It also alleges that the school administration: “has used its website to seek volunteers to lead prayers, and that it requires students and staff to dress in attire that conform to Islamic religion”.
TIZA, a Minnesota charter school, has a site in Inver Grove Heights and in Blaine. It is housed by the Muslim American Society of Minnesota and Minnesota Education Trust, arrangement that Charles Samuelson, state ACLU executive director, finds questionable, because:
“…The school and the society were incorporated on the same day by the same person… They created legal fictions, but it’s the same organization…” (quote from the Star Tribune)
Some people, such as state Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, think that TIZA is being unfairly targeted because its body of students is mostly Muslim. She claims that other charter schools that have inappropriate ties to Christian groups are being overlooked. However, ACLU is known for having many times advocated for the separation of the Church and the State in public schools, whether Christian or not. The Star Tribune quoted Samuelson who said that: “over the years the Minnesota ACLU has sued a number of public school districts for promoting various Christian sects”.
