U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court majority appears to side with parents who object to instruction using LGBTQ storybooks
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared ready to rule for parents who argue that they have a right to exclude their children from school lessons involving storybooks with LGBTQ characters and themes, according to publications that covered the oral arguments. (Image from Shutterstock)
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared ready to rule for parents who argue that they have a right to exclude their children from school lessons involving storybooks with LGBTQ characters and themes, according to publications that covered the oral arguments.
The parents argue that their right to free exercise of religion is infringed when schools do not allow them to opt out of the lessons.
Bloomberg Law, the Washington Post, CNN, the New York Times and the Associated Press are among the publications with coverage.
According to CNN, the high court’s six conservative justices appeared to agree that the rights of religious parents were burdened by a school’s decision to reject opt-outs for instruction using the books.
Arguing for the parents, Eric S. Baxter of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonprofit public interest law firm, said the school district in Montgomery County, Maryland, is “an extreme outlier” by requiring parents to submit their children to such instruction.
Under the school board’s theory, Baxter said, “it could compel instruction using pornography, and parents would have no rights.”
Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked why it wouldn’t be feasible to allow the parents to opt out of the lessons.
“The plaintiffs here are not asking the school to change its curriculum,” Alito said. “They’re just saying, ‘Look, we want out.’ Why isn’t that feasible? What is the big deal about allowing them to opt out of this?”
The case is Mahmoud V. Taylor.
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