The U.S. Supreme Court appears ready to side with Maryland parents who objected to LGBTQ+ books in elementary schools on religious grounds.
The case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, began after Montgomery County Public Schools removed a parental opt-out policy for newly introduced “Pride Storybooks.”
Christian, Jewish, and Muslim families argued that the lack of opt-out violated their First Amendment rights. After losing in lower courts, the case reached the Supreme Court, where Justice Brett Kavanaugh expressed skepticism about the school board’s justification.
He questioned why opt-outs are allowed for other topics but not this one. The plaintiffs aren’t seeking to ban the books, only the option to exempt their children. The Court’s decision could significantly impact how public schools handle religious objections to curriculum content.
