Osseo Area Schools will once again hold a 40-minute “LGBTQIA+ History and Culture lesson” this May—despite hundreds of students opting out of the same lesson in prior years.
In an email sent to parents, the district announced the lesson will be delivered during the week of May 12. According to the district, the session will focus on LGBTQIA+ “histories and identities,” pronouns, and creating a “brave space” in schools.
An “opt-out” form is available for families, but students who opt out won’t skip the session entirely. Instead, they’ll complete an alternative lesson focused on anti-bullying and fostering a respectful school climate.
The decision to continue the lesson stems from a 2022 school board resolution—“LGBTQIA+ History and Culture Resolution”—that directed the superintendent and staff to officially recognize Pride Month, implement LGBTQIA+ curriculum, allow “student choice in restrooms and locker rooms,” and fly the Progress Pride flag at all district buildings in June.
“Osseo Area Schools seeks to eliminate transphobia and homophobia in any form and is committed to examining our own practices, procedures, and policies to identify structural barriers that are embedded and perpetuated in the educational system,” the resolution states.
District defends lesson, says it complies with state law
In response to questions from Alpha News, the district said the LGBTQIA+ History and Culture lesson aligns with Minnesota state law and reflects the board-approved 2022 resolution, which is reviewed annually.
“In regard to requirements, the lesson is consistent with state law,” the district said in a statement. “The board values the opportunity to hear feedback from our community as we continue to grow and learn together, and move forward as a district with all voices respected and valued in Osseo Area Schools.”
The district also confirmed that last year, during the 2023–24 school year, 626 high school students opted out of the lesson out of 6,910 total. As of this week, 374 students have opted out for the upcoming May lesson—about 5.2% of the current high school population of 7,149.
When asked whether similar instruction would be introduced at lower grade levels, the district said it is piloting a related lesson with a small group of eighth-grade students this May and will evaluate whether to continue at the middle-school level in the future.
Osseo parents raise renewed concerns over lesson
Alpha News previously reported on the pushback the district faced from families. In 2024, Osseo Area Schools confirmed that at least 394 students formally opted out of the lesson at Maple Grove Senior High School alone.
The parents group Transparency for Osseo (formerly 279 Parents United) estimated the number was actually closer to 1,000 and said the school had to use overflow spaces such as the cafeteria and auditorium to accommodate students who declined to participate.
Transparency for Osseo also voiced fresh concerns this week, arguing that the lesson “promotes a divisive agenda through LGBTQIA+ lessons that present opinions as facts and is detrimental to students.”
“Specifically, teaching that ‘preferred pronouns’ are ‘correct pronouns’ and that they are the only respectful option implies that using biologically accurate terms is harmful, prioritizing feelings over facts,” the group said in a statement to Alpha News.
Transparency for Osseo also criticized what it described as a “rewriting of history based on unsubstantiated conjecture primarily rooted in sex stereotypes.”
“While emotional well-being is important, it should not come at the expense of truth,” the group added. “We urge the district to adopt a more balanced approach that values both emotional support and objective truth. While we fully support the district policies in place to ensure no student is discriminated against or bullied, the LGBTQ lesson exceeds state requirements. Additionally, this highly divisive lesson detracts from the primary goals of education.”
The district’s email stated that the lesson aligns with the Minnesota Human Rights Act, the Safe and Supportive Schools Act, and local school board policies.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
