San Diego Unified School District Superintendent, Cindy Martin, first decided to implement the Anti-Muslim curriculum at University Heights after President Donald Trump was elected into office.
Martin said she was concerned about her Mexican, gay, and Muslim students who claimed that they were afraid under this new presidential administration so she decided to create safe zones in schools where these students could express their feelings.
She also announced San Diego Unified School District would be using an Anti-Muslim bullying plan to make sure students don’t discriminate against Muslim students in partnership with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR. This may even include bringing in imams into the classroom to teach kids about the positive aspects of Islam.
Many parents believed that this was a violation of church and state and got behind the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund which is suing the district.
Also, a group of concerned parents have asked the Board of Directors to suspend a controversial sexual health education program which starts in middle school. They now have 2,000 petition signatures. They say that the curriculum is not age appropriate, very aggressive, and over-sexualizes young children, including graphics of anal, oral, and vaginal sex presented to boys and girls as young as 11 years old.
The district has said that parents can opt out of having their children included in the curriculum.