Supreme Court: Parents Can Opt Children Out of LGBTQ Book Lessons
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that parents in Maryland who object on religious grounds can pull their children out of public school lessons that include LGBTQ-themed storybooks.
This decision reverses earlier rulings by lower courts that had sided with Montgomery County Public Schools, just outside Washington, D.C.
The justices made clear that while this was not a final ruling, the school district’s policy is likely unconstitutional.
They emphasized that such policies must pass the highest level of judicial scrutiny, a standard that is rarely met. In doing so, the Court strongly signaled that the parents will likely prevail as the case moves forward.
Montgomery County introduced books like “Prince & Knight” and “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” in 2022 to promote inclusion and reflect the diversity of its student population. In one of the books, a young girl worries about losing time with her uncle after he marries another man.
Initially, parents were allowed to opt their children out of these lessons for religious or other personal reasons. But the school board later rescinded that option, sparking protests and eventually leading to a lawsuit.
At oral arguments in April, the school district’s lawyer, Alan Schoenfeld, told the justices that allowing too many opt-outs had become disruptive. He noted that under the current policy, sex education is the only subject from which students can be excused.
The case has drawn national attention amid a surge in book bans across the U.S., many driven by conservative groups like Moms for Liberty. Pen America, a writers’ advocacy group, criticized the parents’ position, calling it “a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name.”
The group reported that over 10,000 books were removed from schools and libraries last school year alone.
Adding a personal layer to the case, three Supreme Court justices live in Montgomery County, although none of them sent their children to public schools there.
This ruling underscores the Court’s ongoing support for religious rights and may have far-reaching implications for how public schools balance diversity efforts with parental control over classroom content.
