Supreme Court Takes Up Religious Parents’ Challenge To Schools That Mandate Books Celebrating Gender Transitions
The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to hear parents’ challenge to a school district requirement forcing kids to participate in story times featuring books on gender and sexuality.
In their petition, parents asked the Supreme Court to consider whether Montgomery County Board of Education’s decision to ignore their religious objections violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.
The group of Christian and Muslim parents filed their lawsuit in May 2023 after the district refused to allow them to opt out.
RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA – MAY 17: Newly donated LGBTQ+ books are displayed in the library at Nystrom Elementary School on May 17, 2022 in Richmond, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The school board “requires elementary school teachers to read their students storybooks celebrating gender transitions, Pride parades, and same-sex playground romance,” according to the parents’ petition. (RELATED: Religious Parents File Lawsuit Over School Board Forcing Students To Attend Pride Storybook Time)
“The Board initially allowed parents to opt their kids out—but then reversed course, saying that no opt-outs would be permitted and that parents would not even be notified when the storybooks were read,” the petition states.
Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said the Supreme Court must make it clear that “parents, not the state, should be the ones deciding how and when to introduce their children to sensitive issues about gender and sexuality.”
“Cramming down controversial gender ideology on three-year-olds without their parents’ permission is an affront to our nation’s traditions, parental rights, and basic human decency,” Baxter said.
Becket is representing the Montgomery County parents challenging the requirement.
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