New Connecticut law requires educators to develop curriculum materials for Islamic, Arab studies

A new Connecticut law requires the State Board of Education to develop optional curriculum materials for Islamic and Arab studies, mirroring existing programs for other ethnic and religious studies. The provision, part of a larger bill, has drawn praise from Muslim leaders and Democrats, while Republicans and the Catholic Conference criticize it as a violation of church-state separation. A separate working group will address antisemitism in schools.

A new Connecticut law, effective July 2026, requires the State Board of Education to develop optional curriculum materials for Islamic and Arab studies. The provision is part of a larger bill and mirrors existing requirements for African-American, Puerto Rican and Latino, Native American, Asian American and Pacific Islander studies, as well as Holocaust and genocide education. Muslim leaders, including CAIR-CT chairman Farhan Memon, and Democratic lawmakers like Rep. Jennifer Leeper welcomed the move, framing it as a way to help students understand diverse classmates and neighbors. However, Republican House leader Vincent Candelora and Chris Healy of the Connecticut Catholic Conference criticized it as a violation of the First Amendment's separation of church and state. The same bill also creates a 15-member working group to address antisemitism in public schools.