Citation dropped for adult shop at center of school field trip controversy
A Minneapolis adult novelty store that found itself the destination of a controversial school field trip – and later, the subject of the city's scrutiny – is now out of the legal woods.
Minneapolis has dropped a citation against the Smitten Kitten, located in the Uptown neighborhood, the Associated Press reports.
The news service says the city didn't have the authority to issue the citation – issued due to sexually explicit material that was apparently in view of minors – because the store isn't required to have an adult business license.
The controversy arose last week after a teacher at the Gaia Democratic School, a small private institution in Minneapolis, brought a class of middle and high school students to the adult shop as part of a sex education course.
The Star Tribune reports that there is still outrage among parents, some of whom are calling for the firing of the school's leader, Starri Hedges, after saying they weren't notified of the trip in advance.
Smitten Kitten owner Jennifer Pritchett told the Star Tribune she feels vindicated, but the withdrawal of the citation does not make up for the "pain" caused by its issuance.