Portland school official wants to keep dogs out of classrooms, citing Islamic beliefs
A Muslim school administrator in Maine wants to ban dogs from being class pets because dog saliva is considered impure under Islamic law.
A senior Portland Public Schools administrator is urging the district to keep dogs out of classrooms and away from common areas, citing Islamic teachings on ritual purity as the school board drafts its first policy governing animals in schools.
Dr. Abdullahi Ahmed, the district’s Assistant Superintendent for Student, Family, and Community Partnerships, made the case during an Oct. 14 online meeting of the Portland Board of Public Education’s Policy Committee. He told members that students and staff “should not be required to interact” with animals brought into schools and should not be placed in close proximity to them.
“For example, the dog’s saliva is considered impure,” Ahmed said, describing ritual purity practices observed by many Muslims. He later clarified that the concern centers on contact with a dog’s saliva, wet fur, or other fluids.
Ahmed, who said he consulted local imams and community elders before the meeting, was careful to stress that Muslim families are not hostile to animals. He noted that Islamic tradition emphasizes compassion toward living things and said community leaders told him they “100% support” the school system and want to give feedback on a final draft.
🚨WATCH: A Portland Public Schools administrator says dogs shouldn't be class pets, citing Islamic teaching that dog saliva is impure. https://t.co/ERQObRa0KU
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Opt-in instead of opt-out
The centerpiece of Ahmed’s proposal is what he called an “opt-in” approach. Under an opt-out model, an animal would be present in a classroom by default and students who objected would be offered alternatives. Ahmed argued that structure singles children out and creates exclusion.
Instead, he proposed housing dogs in a separate space that students could choose to visit, with parents notified in advance. He offered the example of a dog in a designated room where interested students could go to read to it, so that no child is “displaced from where they’re supposed to be.” He also said he would prefer the district not keep a dog as a class pet.
Ahmed warned that putting a dog in a regular classroom could prompt some Muslim families to request a different placement, potentially leaving classes with no Muslim students and creating scheduling problems that “snowball” into reduced access to courses. He said the same dynamic could affect Muslim teachers. He also noted an opt-in model would better protect students with animal allergies.
He said service animals belong in a separate category and must remain a top priority.
A puppy program sparks the debate
The proposed policy, known as IMG, grew out of a plan by Ocean Avenue Elementary teacher Megan Taylor to foster puppies in her classroom. Committee chair Maya Lena described the program as keeping a puppy in an enclosed playpen during the school day, with students periodically invited to read or play with it.
Lena said Taylor’s own research included interviews with imams who considered a plexiglass-paneled pen acceptable, since students could interact with the puppies without contact. Ahmed agreed that arrangement addresses the theological concern, though he cautioned that individual parents and students may still object.
Sarah Warren, the district’s Chief of Strategy and Operations, said she struggled to see how the pen model would avoid feeling exclusionary. “I’m picturing the cute puppies in the pen in the room, and you know, the kids that are not allowed to go and touch the puppies,” she said. Warren also said the district would never assign a student to a classroom based on the presence of an animal.
Divided views on the committee
Committee members raised a range of concerns. Board Chair Sarah Lentz questioned what “interaction” means in practice, noting that classrooms have long kept fish, bearded dragons, salmon fry, and hatching eggs, mostly for observation. Board member Yusurah Ali cautioned against making the policy too restrictive, saying students gain valuable experience from animals, while also describing her own fear of snakes.
Kristen Tedesco, a kindergarten teacher at Lyseth Elementary, said she worried a class pet policy could become “a runaway train,” and agreed the district must be mindful of cultural concerns.
Warren noted she had learned that staff are already bringing animals, particularly dogs, into schools and offices without clear rules. She argued that leaving the issue unaddressed creates a vacuum with “no kind of boundaries.”
The current draft requires written permission from a principal before animals enter a school, proof of vaccination where applicable, a ban on animals on school buses, and a provision that an animal will not be housed in a classroom with a student whose parent objects. Lena also questioned a section allowing students to bring pets to school and asked that district lawyers review striking it.