The Supreme Court agreed Friday to hear a case from parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, who argue their religious rights are being violated by a public school policy that prohibits them from opting their children out of lessons featuring fictional LGBT books and characters.
The case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, stems from a 2023 policy reversal by Montgomery County Public Schools. Initially, the district allowed parents to exempt their children from lessons involving certain storybooks, but later reversed course, prompting protests and legal challenges. Parents claim the inclusion of books with LGBT themes violates their Christian faith and should be treated like sex education, which permits opt-outs.
The books at the center of the dispute include Pride Puppy and My Rainbow, which were later removed from the English language arts curriculum. Other books portray a girl’s anxiety about giving a valentine to another girl, a prince’s love for a knight, and a transgender boy’s journey to share his gender identity with his family.
“The School Board has pushed inappropriate gender indoctrination on our children instead of focusing on the fundamental areas of education that they need to thrive,” said Grace Morrison, a board member of Kids First, a parents’ advocacy group. “I pray the Supreme Court will stop this injustice, allow parents to raise their children according to their faith, and restore common sense in Maryland once again.”
Lawyers for the school system contend that the books are a minor part of the curriculum, emphasizing that they present universal themes like adventure, emotions, and self-expression, similar to those in classic stories such as Snow White and Peter Pan.
The case raises broader questions about parental rights and the limits of religious freedom in public education.
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Eric Baxter, representing the parents with the Becket Fund For Religious Liberty, said in a press release that “The Court must make clear: parents, not the state, should be the ones deciding how and when to introduce their children to sensitive issues about gender and sexuality.”
It is unclear if the Supreme Court will hear arguments this spring or in its next term beginning in October.
