Supreme Court to Review Montgomery Parents’ Challenge to LGBTQ+ Book Rules
The Supreme Court will hear an appeal from Montgomery County parents over LGBTQ+ book policies in schools
Montgomery County, LGBTQ+, Supreme Court, Parents, Book Policy, Religious Rights
Montgomery County: The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to take on a case involving parents from Montgomery County who are upset about LGBTQ+ books in schools. These parents want to challenge a policy that doesn’t allow them to opt their young kids out of classes that include these books.
They’ve been fighting this in lower courts but haven’t had much luck. Their main argument is that these books clash with their religious beliefs, exposing their kids to ideas about gender and sexuality that they don’t agree with.
Interestingly, a bunch of religious groups and conservative legal experts have jumped in to support the parents. But the county argues that these books are just part of the reading materials available to kids, not something that’s being forced on them.
The lower courts have sided with the school system, saying that parents who send their kids to public schools can’t expect to shield them from all materials they find offensive. The Supreme Court hasn’t set a date for the hearing yet, but it’s expected to happen later this spring.
A spokesperson for the school system didn’t comment on the Supreme Court’s decision but did mention that the Becket Fund, which is representing the parents, is excited to have another chance to present their case after struggling for over two years.
One of the parents’ representatives emphasized that it should be up to parents, not the state, to decide when and how to introduce sensitive topics to their kids.
This whole issue kicked off about three years ago when the county introduced a list of LGBTQ+-inclusive books for classrooms, starting as early as kindergarten. Some of the titles include stories about transgender kids and same-sex weddings, which the parents find problematic.
School officials have said these books aren’t part of any direct teaching on gender identity or sexual orientation. They just want to represent the diverse community in their reading materials.
Initially, parents could opt their kids out of lessons that included these books, but that changed in March 2023. Now, they can only opt out of sex education, not other subjects like language arts.
The parents argue that this new policy violates their First Amendment rights. They’re not trying to ban the books; they just want the option to keep their kids from being exposed to ideas that go against their beliefs.
So far, the courts have only looked at the parents’ request for a temporary halt to the school’s policy, which they’ve lost repeatedly. The county insists there’s no urgent issue that can’t be resolved through the regular court process.
A federal judge recently denied the parents’ request for a temporary injunction, and an appeals court upheld that decision, saying the parents didn’t prove they were likely to win their case.
One judge disagreed, arguing that the parents have a valid point about their rights being burdened. The debate is pretty heated, with strong opinions on both sides about whether diversity or religious rights should take precedence.
One parent group, Kids First, is pushing for an opt-out policy, claiming the current system is pushing inappropriate ideas on kids. They’re hopeful the Supreme Court will step in and allow parents to raise their children according to their beliefs.