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The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a group of Maryland parents who sought to opt their children out of classroom instruction involving books with LGBTQ+ themes. The decision, made on June 27, allows parents to exclude their children from such materials based on religious objections.
The case involved a coalition of parents from various faiths, including Muslims, Catholics, Christians, and Jews. They sued the Montgomery County Public Schools' board after it refused to allow them to opt their children out of certain instructional materials containing LGBTQ+ themes. One book cited in court documents was "Love, Violet," described as a "sweetly empathetic, child-friendly girl-girl romance" by Kirkus Review.
The parents argued that the school board's actions violated their First Amendment rights. A lower federal court had previously sided with the school district, stating that advance notice for opting out was not required while legal challenges were ongoing.
However, the Supreme Court reversed this ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor. Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority: “A government burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses ‘a very real threat of undermining the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill.’”
Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, expressing concern that the ruling could lead to chaos in public schools by imposing administrative burdens due to requirements for advance notice and opt-out opportunities.
Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades supported the decision, emphasizing parental rights in directing children's education concerning faith and morals. Eric Baxter from Becket law firm called it a historic victory for parental rights.
Conversely, Kelley Robinson from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation criticized the ruling as harmful to LGBTQ+ students' inclusion and respect within educational settings.
President Donald Trump praised the decision as a victory for parental control over education during comments at the White House on June 27.
