Supreme Court Grants Parents LGBTQ Curriculum Opt-Out

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that parents in Maryland, particularly those from Muslim, Catholic, and Ukrainian Orthodox backgrounds, have a constitutional right to opt their children out of elementary school lessons featuring LGBTQ-inclusive storybooks on religious grounds. Justice Samuel Alito wrote the majority opinion, finding that Montgomery County Public Schools’ refusal to offer opt-outs substantially burdened religious freedom. The ruling requires the school district to provide advance notice and allow opt-outs for the contested books while the case continues in lower courts. Parental rights and religious liberty advocates hailed the decision, while LGBTQ advocates, school officials, and book authors warned it could undermine inclusion and representation. The dissenting justices argued that the decision could limit students’ exposure to diversity and multicultural understanding. This case has broad national significance for debates over parental rights, religious liberty, and inclusive education.