St. Cloud School Board to Consider Settlement in Muslim Harassment Case

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) - The superintendent of the St. Cloud schools says his district is close to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Education that would end an investigation into the alleged harassment of Muslim students.

Superintendent Bruce Watkins tells the St. Cloud Times the agreement could be finalized any day now. He says if it's ready, it will go to the school board at its Oct. 27 meeting.

In March 2010, the Minneapolis-based Council on American Islamic Relations requested the federal investigation into reports of harassment of Muslim students at Technical and Apollo high schools.

The school district did its own investigation and confirmed many of the incidents, and also found inappropriate behavior by Muslim students directed toward non-Muslim students.

The district has argued that it responded appropriately to the incidents.

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