This is a historic victory for parental religious exercise in Maryland and across America. Today, the Court restored common sense and made clear that parents—not government—have the final say in how their children are raised.

In the Court’s 6-3 decision today, Justice Alito writing for the majority said, “Today’s decision recognizes that the right of parents ‘to direct the religious upbringing of their’ children would be an empty promise if it did not follow those children into the public school.

Despite faith differences, these parents believe the storybooks are age-inappropriate, spiritually and emotionally damaging for their children, and inconsistent with their religious beliefs.

For example, one book tasks three- and four-year-olds to search for images from a word list that includes “intersex flag,” “drag queen,” “underwear,” “leather,” and the name of a celebrated LGBTQ activist and sex worker. Another book advocates a child-knows-best approach to.

Instead of focusing on basic principles of respect and kindness, Montgomery County’s “inclusivity” books championed controversial ideology around gender and sexuality. Find the books here:

Muslim, Christian, and Jewish parents challenged this opt-out ban in 2023 and, last year, asked the Supreme Court to take their case.

When the Montgomery County Board of Education took away parental notice and opt-outs for storybooks that celebrate gender transitioning, pride parades, and pronoun preferences with kids as young as three and four, religious parents decided to fight back.

Victory for parents’ right to guide their children’s education! The Supreme Court just ruled 6-3 that parents have the right to opt their children out of storybooks that push one-sided ideology on gender and sexuality in violation of their religious beliefs.

RT @LoriWindham1: BREAKING: The Supreme Court just ruled in favor of nuns fighting New York’s abortion mandate. The ruling orders New York….

As this outpouring of support makes clear, parents don’t take a backseat to anyone when it comes to raising their kids. Montgomery County’s decision to run roughshod over parental rights betrays our nation’s traditions and common sense. The Justices should restore the opt-out and.

Prominent legal groups, including America First Legal Foundation and Americans for Prosperity, explain the lack of historical pedigree for the controversial and one-sided instruction here, and how it goes beyond the delegated authority of parents to their public schools.

Legal historians Eric DeGroff and Ernie Walton show the long historical tradition of protecting parental religious authority over their child’s education, including in the public school context.

Legal scholar Helen Alvaré and twelve state family institutes explain the important role of public school authority figures and the influence of transmitting a family’s religious traditions.

Religious liberty law scholars, led by Michael McConnell, Douglas Laycock, Thomas Berg (@tcbergmn), David Smolin, and Richard Garnett (@RickGarnett), explain the proper approach to free exercise burdens in the public school context.

A diverse array of ten religious organizations asks the Supreme Court to protect religious families with public school children from the devastating implications of reducing free exercise protections to direct coercion.

35 members of the Maryland legislature explain why Maryland law requires affording religious families notice and opt-outs from this instruction, and how the Maryland legislature is trying to circumvent the families’ protections.

66 members of Congress emphasize the long federal policy of encouraging cooperation between public schools and families over what their children learn in the classroom and how no federal law requires Montgomery County to withdraw the parents’ notice and opt-out rights.

26 states highlight the longstanding national tradition of protecting parental direction on sexuality and gender instruction.

The Solicitor General of the United States discusses the “obvious” religious exercise by parents in seeking to shield their children from instruction that violates their religious beliefs and how the Board has violated that religious exercise under a long line of Supreme Court.

66 members of Congress, 26 states, 35 members of the Maryland legislature, diverse faith groups, and legal scholars asked the Supreme Court yesterday to ensure that parents can opt their children out of storybooks that push one-sided ideology on gender and sexuality. Find