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Tim Nelson

School board to urge member resign over post about Muslims

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Updated: 12:05 p.m. | Posted: 8:30 a.m.

The school board in the Twin Cities suburb of Columbia Heights will take up the issue of alleged bigoted remarks by one of its members again this week.

Comments raised concern.
Concerns have been raised over a Facebook comment from the account of a Columbia Heights school board member.
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The board tried to remove Grant Nichols last week, following a social media posting in response to a news story. The Facebook comment suggested the personal hygiene practices of Muslims were unsanitary. Nichols denied making the post, although other school officials said he'd admitted to it.

The vote to remove Nichols fell short, prompting a walkout by high school students last Wednesday. The school board will be meeting again Tuesday and is scheduled to take up a resolution urging Nichols to resign. The board agenda says chair John Larkin will present the resolution.

Gov. Mark Dayton visited Columbia Heights High School on Friday, praised the student protest and also called for Nichols to resign. Nichols rejected Dayton's suggestion, saying he "will not be bullied by party politics for doing nothing."

Correction (Sept. 21, 2015): A headline on an earlier version of this story incorrectly said the school board on Tuesday would try to remove Nichols from his position.