A father in the United States is taking legal action against his son’s school district after discovering that he was exposed to LGBT content during a Pride Month lesson.
Christian legal group, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), recently revealed that it filed a federal lawsuit against Lake Washington School District, on behalf of Konstantin Averkiev. They alleged that he repeatedly requested to opt his son out of LGBTQ instruction, but was always refused. Averkiev, who is a devout Christian, chose to enroll his son at an elementary school in the Lake Washington School District. The district covers the cities of Kirkland and Redmond, east of Seattle and implements LGBTQ “inclusive curricula”, along requirements that are in direct conflict with his beliefs.
According to ADF, Averkiev met with his 10-year-old son’s then fourth grade teacher in 2025, and asked that his child be excused from all LGBTQ instruction, citing his religious beliefs. The teacher allegedly agreed, but in June 2026, it came to his attention that his son received a Pride Month lesson that pertained to gender-change surgery. ADF says that Averkiev was given no notice or opportunity to withdraw his son out of this lesson. He subsequently wrote a letter to the principal, but received no response.
Prior to the start of his son’s fifth grade, he wrote to the district, this time with the assistance of attorneys from the ADF. He is requesting to opt his son out of all LGBTQ-related activities, instruction and requirements. These include individual counseling sessions and the compulsory use of “preferred pronouns.”
ADF says that the district rejected almost all of his requests. The only exclusion granted was for sex-education curriculum and surveys, which are required by state law.
The lawsuit, however, explains that Averkiev’s First and 14th Amendments extend to every lesson or school requirement that would undermine the religious beliefs and practices he wishes to cultivate in his son. They argue that the district’s refusal to honor his request is unconstitutional.
Commenting on the lawsuit, ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson, director of the ADF Center for Parental Rights said that parents ultimately get to decide the direction of their children’s religious upbringing.
“Parents have the fundamental right to direct their children’s religious upbringing and education, even at school,” she said. “Washington state officials can’t force parents like Mr. Averkiev to give up that right or accept a burden on their children’s religious upbringing in exchange for the benefit of public education. Our Constitution forbids schools from indoctrinating children with the government’s views on sexuality and gender—hotly debated and sensitive topics—that substantially undermine their religious upbringing.”
