The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared ready on Tuesday to side with religious parents challenging a Maryland school district’s LGBTQ+-inclusive curriculum.
The parents argue that their constitutional right to freely exercise religion is violated when they’re not allowed to opt their children out of certain elementary school lessons.
The case, centered in Montgomery County—one of America’s most religiously diverse areas—arose after schools introduced storybooks featuring gay and lesbian characters. While the program aimed to foster respect for LGBTQ+ families, some religious parents objected.
Initially, the school board allowed opt-outs, but abandoned the policy due to logistical chaos. The parents sued, claiming the curriculum forced them to either violate their faith or remove their children from public school entirely.
Lower courts sided with the school district, but on Tuesday, conservative justices showed strong sympathy for the parents. Justice Samuel Alito argued that exposure to same-sex marriage promotes a moral message many religious families reject.
Liberal justices expressed concern that a broad opt-out rule could destabilize public education. Justice Elena Kagan asked whether such a rule would apply to evolution or women’s history, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson questioned if a teacher’s wedding photo could trigger an opt-out demand.
The court is expected to issue a decision by summer, one that could significantly reshape how public schools balance diversity and religious liberty.
