The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that parents can opt their children out of a Maryland school district's LGBT-themed curriculum materials over religious objections, reversing an appeals court ruling.
In a 6-3 decision released Friday, the high court ruled in Mahmoud, Tamer, et al. v. Taylor, Thomas W., et al. that Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland cannot force children to be exposed to LGBT-themed books in the curriculum. After a massive demonstration in 2023, a religiously diverse group of parents challenged the school district's refusal to grant opt-outs for lessons that include LGBT literature.
Justice Samuel Alito authored the opinion of the court, being joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and justices Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas.
"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," wrote Alito.
"And a government cannot condition the benefit of free public education on parents' acceptance of such instruction. Based on these principles, we conclude that the parents are likely to succeed in their challenge to the Board's policies."
The high court granted the parents a preliminary injunction against the MCPS' inclusion of LGBT-themed books in the curriculum on religious grounds.
Supreme Court says religious kids can opt out of LGBT curriculum | Politics
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