Averkiev v. Lake Washington School District

Description:  A Washington state father repeatedly asked to opt his son out of LGBTQ instruction, but the Lake Washington School District refused. The district implements LGBTQ “inclusive curricula” and requirements that conflict with Konstantin Averkiev’s faith.

SEATTLE – Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Lake Washington School District on behalf of a Washington father who has repeatedly asked to opt his son out of LGBTQ instruction only to be refused.

Konstantin Averkiev is a Christian with sincere religious beliefs about sex, gender, and marriage that he seeks to instill in his young son, who attends an elementary school in the Lake Washington School District. The district covers the cities of Kirkland and Redmond, east of Seattle. The district implements LGBTQ “inclusive curricula” and requirements that conflict with Averkiev’s faith.

“Parents have the fundamental right to direct their children’s religious upbringing and education, even at school,” said ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson, director of the ADF Center for Parental Rights. “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.”

In 2025, when his son began fourth grade, Averkiev met with his son’s teacher and asked that his son be excused from all LGBTQ instruction based on his religious beliefs. The teacher agreed. Yet in June of this year, Averkiev discovered that his son received a Pride Month lesson that discussed gender-change surgery. Averkiev was given no notice or opportunity to opt his son out of this lesson. So he wrote the principal, but received no response.

With his son starting fifth grade this fall, Averkiev then wrote the district with the help of ADF attorneys, requesting to opt his son out of LGBTQ-related instruction and requirements—including individual counseling sessions and the compelled use of biologically inaccurate pronouns. The district rejected nearly all of his requests. The only opt-out the district granted—for sex-education curriculum and surveys—are required by state law.

But as the lawsuit explains, Averkiev’s constitutional rights are not so limited. Under the First and 14th Amendments, they extend to every lesson or school requirement that would undermine the religious beliefs and practices he wishes to instill in his son. The district’s refusal to honor his request is unconstitutional.

ADF attorneys filed Averkiev v. Lake Washington School District in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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