The US Supreme Court is set to hear a major case on Tuesday that could redefine the balance between public school curricula and parental rights, particularly when it comes to LGBTQ-themed content in the classroom.
At the heart of the case is whether parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, can opt their children out of reading books with LGBTQ storylines that conflict with their family’s faith.
The parents argue that the school district is infringing upon their religious freedom by denying them that option.
The controversy began in November 2022 when Montgomery County Public Schools launched a new “inclusivity” initiative, introducing LGBTQ-themed books into classrooms.
According to Becket, a religious liberty legal group representing the parents, the books in question “champion pride parades, gender transitioning and pronoun preferences for children.”
Initially, the district allowed families to opt out. But in March 2023, the school system reversed its position, announcing that parents would no longer be notified or given the option to exempt their children from the lessons.
In May 2024, a federal appeals court sided with the school district, ruling that parents could not opt their children out of the LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum. Now, the US Supreme Court will take up the case — Mahmoud v. Taylor — during its 2024-2025 term.
One of the plaintiffs, Grace Morrison, is a Montgomery County mother of seven. Her youngest child, who has Down’s Syndrome and other special needs, was in fourth grade when the new book policy was introduced.
“We felt as parents that we would present these things to our children like we always have, when they’re ready to receive them. And especially a child with special needs, it’s even more difficult for her to understand,” Morrison told Fox News Digital in February.
She added that the books include gender ideology topics that could confuse her daughter and go against their family’s beliefs. The plaintiffs include families from Muslim, Catholic, and Ukrainian Orthodox faiths.
Becket attorney William Haun, who is representing the parents, said the case is fundamentally about First Amendment rights. “The Free Exercise clause protects the authority of parents, even with children in public schools, to opt out of instruction that would interfere with their child’s religious development,” he saidl.
According to Becket, Montgomery County is one of the few school districts in the country that has banned opt-outs and advance notice to parents regarding sexuality and gender instruction.
As the high court considers this deeply divisive case, its ruling could set a precedent that reverberates through public education systems across the nation.
(Fox News)
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