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Supreme Court 6–3 Lets Maryland Parents Opt Children Out of LGBTQ Lessons

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Published Jul 3, 2025, 03:16 AM

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that public schools must allow parents with religious objections to withdraw their children from elementary-school lessons that incorporate LGBTQ-themed storybooks, reversing lower-court decisions that had favored Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. The case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, was brought by Christian, Muslim and Ukrainian-Orthodox families who said the district’s policy violated their First Amendment right to direct their children’s religious upbringing.

Writing for the conservative majority, Justice Samuel Alito said the school board’s refusal to grant opt-outs placed “a very real threat” on parents’ ability to transmit their faith and therefore “unconstitutionally burdens” their religious exercise. The Court granted the parents a preliminary injunction and ordered the district to give advance notice when such books are used and to excuse children whose families object.

Montgomery County added titles such as “Prince & Knight,” “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” and “Born Ready” to its English-language curriculum in 2022 to reflect family diversity. It initially permitted opt-outs but rescinded that option in 2023 after citing logistical difficulties and concerns about stigmatizing students. Both a federal district judge and the Fourth Circuit had upheld the district’s stance before today’s reversal.

In dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned that the ruling could create “chaos” by requiring schools nationwide to screen ordinary lessons for potential religious conflicts. Montgomery County officials called the decision a setback for inclusive education, while parental-rights groups hailed it as a landmark affirmation of family authority. Although the judgment concerns one Maryland district, education lawyers say it is likely to influence disputes over curricular content well beyond the state.

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#Montgomery County Public Schools #Maryland #Mahmoud #Christian #Muslim #First Amendment #Samuel Alito #Court #Montgomery County #Fourth Circuit #Sonia Sotomayor

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La Derecha Diario

@laderechadiario

🚨🇺🇸 | THE PROGRESSIVE DICTATORSHIP ENDED: The Supreme Court backed parents in Maryland and now degenerate teachers will no longer be able to force children to read books with LGBT content.

Washington Post Opinions

@PostOpinions

"In view of the Supreme Court decision allowing parents to opt their kids out of lessons involving LGBTQ+ materials that offend their religious beliefs, here’s my question: By this reasoning, what else can parents opt kids out of?"

Mario Nawfal

@MarioNawfal

🇺🇸 SUPREME COURT SIDES WITH MARYLAND PARENTS: NO FORCED LGBTQ BOOKS The Supreme Court just told schools in Maryland: parents get to say if their kids read LGBTQ stories. This means kids can skip lessons about same-sex couples and transgender kids if mom or dad isn’t cool with