In recent news from Washington, the Supreme Court’s conservative wing appears poised to back the religious rights of Maryland parents seeking to withdraw their children from classroom readings featuring LGBTQ characters. The case under discussion involves the Montgomery County school district and could end with a decision favoring parents who oppose such material on religious grounds. This term, the Supreme Court is handling three cases centered on religious rights, continuing its recent trend of supporting claims involving religious discrimination.
In 2022, Montgomery County schools integrated storybooks like “Prince and Knight” and “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” into the curriculum to better depict the district’s diverse community. Initially, parents could exclude their children from these lessons owing to religious or other disagreements, but the school board later reversed this opt-out policy. This change sparked protests and eventually led to a legal challenge.
The case holds significant local relevance, as three of the justices reside in Montgomery County. None have children attending the public schools, yet one justice, Brett Kavanaugh, expressed bewilderment over how the situation escalated. Kavanaugh was particularly taken aback by the school system’s approach to religious freedom issues, especially in a county known for its diversity and its historic roots as a Catholic refuge.
During discussions, Justice Kavanaugh highlighted the school district’s unwillingness to accommodate religious beliefs in opting out, questioning the practicality of removing students from all non-secular lessons. Alan Schoenfeld, representing the district, explained the logistical challenges faced when trying to accommodate numerous opt-out requests, noting that only sex education permits opt-outs in Montgomery schools.
The justices highlighted various storybooks, with “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” drawing notable attention. In this story, a girl worries about losing time with her uncle after he marries another man. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Samuel Alito, often divergent in the culture wars, outlined differing interpretations. Sotomayor questioned whether the mere presence of a same-sex couple constituted the religious objection, while Alito argued the book endorses same-sex marriage, conflicting with traditional religious beliefs.
In total, five books are under scrutiny in this Supreme Court case. These include “Prince and Knight,” depicting a romantic bond between two male characters, “Love, Violet,” addressing a girl’s hesitance to express affection for another girl, “Born Ready,” a narrative about a transgender boy revealing his gender identity, and “Intersection Allies,” portraying diverse characters with one being gender-fluid.
Billy Moges, affiliated with the Kids First parents’ group, condemned these books as sexually explicit, confusing, and unsuitable for young students. On the other hand, the writers’ group Pen America criticized the parents’ demands as tantamount to enacting a “constitutionally suspect book ban.” Reports from Pen America indicate that over 10,000 books were prohibited in schools during the last academic year.
A verdict in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor is anticipated by early summer, and its outcome could set a significant precedent concerning religious rights and public education in the United States.