A group of multi-faith parents has filed a lawsuit against the Palo Alto Unified School District and Palo Alto High School principal Brent Kline, alleging that students participated in religious activities without parental consent during a Fall 2025 field trip to a mosque.
The lawsuit, filed on August 7, claims that as part of the school’s Social Justice Pathway curriculum, students toured the Muslim Community Association’s mosque and engaged in activities including observing a Dhuhr prayer, discussing worship, and interacting with participants from the Noor Hifz Academy, a religious youth program where students memorize the Quran. Female students were provided hijabs to wear, and all students were given Qurans to take home.
The complaint further alleges that students spoke with Zahra Billoo, executive director of the Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), who has faced past controversy over remarks some have deemed antisemitic. The lawsuit was brought by parents identifying as Jewish, Hindu, and Zoroastrian.
Legal and Curriculum Concerns
The parents’ legal team, led by attorney David Rosenberg-Wohl, argues that the school district promoted Islam through the field trip’s activities, including the distribution of religious attire and texts. The lawsuit contends that these actions violated establishment clause protections under the U.S. Constitution by advancing a specific religion in a public school setting.
School District Response
Neither the Palo Alto Unified School District nor Principal Brent Kline has publicly commented on the lawsuit as of publication. The district’s curriculum, titled Social Justice Pathway, aims to educate students on systemic inequalities and social justice issues, though the extent to which religious instruction is incorporated has not been detailed in available reports.
Background on the Field Trip
The field trip occurred in Fall 2025 as part of a broader educational initiative. According to the complaint, students were encouraged to wear Muslim religious attire during the visit and were provided with Qurans for personal use. The lawsuit does not specify whether parents were informed of these activities in advance or given the option to opt their children out.
Ongoing Legal Process
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and calls for changes to the district’s curriculum and field trip policies to ensure compliance with constitutional separation of church and state. Legal proceedings are in the early stages, with no court dates or responses from defendants yet reported.