Supreme Court Drops Bombshell Ruling on LGBTQ Books in Schools  What Parents Must Do Now

The U.S. Supreme Court has made a major decision affecting schools in Montgomery County, Maryland. The ruling allows parents to remove their children from elementary school lessons that use storybooks with LGBTQ characters, if the parents say those lessons go against their religious beliefs. This decision came from a 6-3 vote among the justices.

This legal case began when Montgomery County Public Schools updated their curriculum in 2022. They added storybooks that featured characters who are LGBTQ to better represent the community’s diversity. At first, parents were allowed to take their children out of those lessons, but later the school district stopped that option.

School leaders said the opt-outs were creating disruptions. That led some parents to sue the school system, saying their religious rights were being violated. After lower courts supported the school district, the case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court, which sided with the parents.

The five books involved in the case include stories with themes about love, family, and identity. One tells of two men falling in love while saving a kingdom. Another shows a young girl worried about her uncle’s marriage to a man. Other stories feature a transgender boy sharing his identity, a girl wanting to give a Valentine to another girl, and a group of diverse children including someone who is gender-fluid.

Some parents believed these books introduced topics that were too advanced or confusing for young children. Groups like Moms for Liberty and other conservative organizations supported the effort, pushing for more say in what kids are taught in school.

Not everyone agrees with the Supreme Court’s decision. Maryland’s Attorney General, Anthony Brown, criticized the ruling, saying that these books help create safe and welcoming classrooms for all students, no matter their identity. He promised to keep fighting for LGBTQ rights in Maryland.

The local teachers’ union, Montgomery County Education Association, also expressed disappointment. They worry the ruling could harm schools by making it harder to teach about inclusion and diversity. Teachers are concerned that letting students skip certain lessons will make classrooms harder to manage and will place more pressure on educators.

Writers’ group PEN America also weighed in, saying that trying to remove these books was like trying to ban them under a different name. They pointed out that over 10,000 books were banned in schools last year alone.

This ruling is one of several recent cases focused on religious rights in schools. It has sparked strong opinions on both sides — with some celebrating the decision as a win for religious freedom, and others fearing it could lead to more division and exclusion in public education.