US News
Parents sue Palo Alto school district over high school field trip to mosque
A lawsuit alleges that students participated in religious activities and were encouraged to wear Islamic attire without parental consent during a public high school outing.
The short version
- A group of multi-faith parents filed a lawsuit on August 7 against Palo Alto Unified School District and Palo Alto High School principal Brent Kline following a Fall 2025 field trip to a local mosque.
- The lawsuit alleges that students were given Qurans, exposed to religious practice, and encouraged or required to wear religious attire like hijabs without parental consent.
- Representatives from the mosque and a student editor defended the educational outing, while an attorney for the parents argued that public schools cannot promote specific religious faiths.
Key facts
- A joint lawsuit was filed on August 7 against Palo Alto Unified School District and Palo Alto High School principal Brent Kline by a group of Jewish, Hindu, and Zoroastrian parents.[Fox News]
- The legal action centers on a Fall 2025 field trip to a mosque hosted by the Muslim Community Association as part of the high school's Social Justice Pathway curriculum.[Fox News]
- The lawsuit claims students observed a prayer, were gifted Qurans, spoke with CAIR Bay Area executive director Zahra Billoo, and were provided religious attire such as hijabs.[Fox News]
- The Muslim Community Association stated that treating exposure to the Muslim faith as inherently coercive risks reinforcing Islamophobia.[Fox News]
- Palo Alto Unified Superintendent Jason Glass said he is reviewing the claims but declined further comment due to the pending litigation.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- Accounts differ on whether students were forced or merely encouraged to wear religious attire, with a student newspaper editor disputing claims that female students were compelled to wear hijabs.[Fox News]