The Supreme Court Agrees to Review Policy on Reading LGBTQ+ Books in Elementary Schools
The Supreme Court has agreed to review a policy that allows Maryland schools to read LGBTQ+ books to elementary school students without giving parents the option to opt their children out on religious grounds. The lawsuit was brought by a group of mostly Muslim and Ethiopian Orthodox parents who argue that the policy violates their First Amendment religious rights.
The controversy surrounding the policy stems from a Montgomery County school district’s decision to include a group of “LGBTQ-Inclusive books” in the English curriculum. The school board initially allowed parents to opt out of the program, but later reversed course and denied parents the opportunity to do so. The parents argue that this decision infringes on their religious freedom and has prevented them from being able to make decisions about what their children are exposed to.
The 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the school district, finding that denying opt-outs does not violate the parents’ religious freedom. The court’s decision was based on the fact that the books are not mandatory and that teachers have discretion in how they implement the policy in the classroom.
The parents who brought the lawsuit are not seeking to ban the books, but rather to have the opportunity to opt their children out of the reading material. They argue that the policy is an example of “new government-imposed orthodoxy” and that it sidelines parents’ ability to make decisions about their children. The Supreme Court’s review of the case is likely to have significant implications for the ongoing debate about the role of parents in shaping educational policy.