The Minnesota Independent

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Charter school accused of teaching Islam, ACLU reach settlement

By Andy Birkey | 10.04.11 | 7:27 am

The school, the Minnesota Department of Education and the ACLU reached a partial settlement in the case that requires charter schools to sign an annual statement declaring under penalty of law that the schools are not promoting religion.

AM.MN: Offended by offhanded comment? Peterson’s sorry

By Chris Steller | 07.29.09 | 8:30 am

mn_am1If you didn’t like this early census statistic from U.S. Rep. Colin Peterson — that 25 percent of his constituents think the American military destroyed the World Trade Center towers on 9/11 — well, he’s sorry. Without…

ACLU suit against TIZA moves forward

By Andy Birkey | 07.22.09 | 7:52 am

tiza_schoolA court ruled Tuesday that the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU-MN) can sue Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA), Islamic Relief and state education commissioner Alice…

ACLU files suit against Muslim-affiliated school, state education department

By Andy Birkey | 01.22.09 | 7:44 am

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota filed suit Wednesday against Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy and the Minnesota Department of Education alleging a violation of the separation between church and state. TIZA was at the center of a media storm last year after the Star Tribune’s Katherine Kersten wrote an inflammatory commentary alleging religious instruction at the taxpayer-funded school. ACLU-MN investigated the allegations and in court documents filed in U.S. District Court said the Muslim organizations from which TIZA leases its space are illegally benefiting from the leasing arrangement.

Media Monitor: Strib Teamsters again vote ‘no’, the YouTube Pulitzer, funeral tweeting and more

By Paul Schmelzer | 09.11.08 | 10:16 am

A round-up of media, new and old: YouTube partners with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting to give a $10,000 reporting prize, while the Star Tribune’s Teamsters again vote down contract concessions. Also: Outrage over a newspaper liveblogging a funeral and key context as the Strib’s Katherine Kersten again targets a Muslim school.