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By Gabe Whisnant
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The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 Friday that Maryland parents who object to public school lessons featuring LGBTQ-inclusive storybooks on religious grounds can likely opt their children out of those classes.
Why It Matters
The decision reverses lower-court rulings that had favored the Montgomery County Public Schools, located in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, and marks a significant victory for religious rights advocates. While the ruling is not a final resolution of the case, the conservative justices strongly signaled that the parents are likely to prevail, subjecting the school policy to "strict scrutiny," the highest level of constitutional review—a standard under which policies are rarely upheld.
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What to Know
At the center of the case are children's books such as "Prince & Knight" and "Uncle Bobby's Wedding," introduced by the school district in 2022 as part of a broader diversity initiative. In the latter, a young girl worries her relationship with her uncle will change after he marries another man. Initially, the school system allowed parents to opt their children out of the lessons for religious or personal reasons. However, that policy was reversed a year later, triggering widespread protests and eventually a lawsuit from a group of parents claiming their religious freedoms were being violated.
The Supreme Court's decision comes as part of a broader trend in which the justices have increasingly favored religious-liberty claims. The case also unfolds amid a national surge in book bans in public schools and libraries, often led by conservative organizations like Moms for Liberty.
In response to those bans, the Department of Education under President Donald Trump dismissed 11 complaints previously filed under the Biden administration, calling the controversy a "hoax." Meanwhile, the literary advocacy group PEN America filed a brief in the Maryland case, arguing that the plaintiffs were seeking "a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name." PEN reported more than 10,000 book bans across the country in the last academic year alone.
During oral arguments in April, Montgomery County's attorney, Alan Schoenfeld, told the justices that the growing number of opt-out requests had become disruptive to the school environment. He noted that only sex education currently allows for formal exemptions in the county's curriculum. The case hit close to home for the high court, as three of its justices live in Montgomery County—though none of their children attend public schools there.
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What People Are Saying
Todd Blanche, Deputy Attorney General, said at a White House press conference on Friday, "This case restores parents' rights to decide their child's education. It seems like a basic idea, but it took the Supreme Court to set the record straight, and we thank them for that. That ruling allows parents to opt out of dangerous trans ideology and make the decisions for their children that they believe is correct."
Jesuit priest James Martin, also editor at large at America Magazine, a Jesuit publication, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "The #SCOTUS decision on parents opting out of their children reading books with LGBTQ characters is a reminder that objecting to LGBTQ issues often falls under the guise of "religious objections." Obviously, some material is not suitable for children, but some of these books simply introduced gay characters."
His post continued, "But pretty soon, even speaking to, or doing business with, an LGBTQ person (or having them teach your children) will be framed as a threat to one's "religious values." It's important to remember that Christianity should not be used as a fig leaf for homophobia. Moreover, many straight Christians want to be welcoming to LGBTQ people, and many straight Christian parents pray that their children will come to know LGBTQ people as their brothers and sisters. Being Christian does not mean being homophobic."
What Happens Next
The ruling, while not yet the final word, sends a clear message that policies perceived to infringe on religious freedom will face steep constitutional hurdles.
Update: 6/27/25, 11:47 a.m. ET: This article was updated with new information.
Update: 6/27/25, 12:05 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Update: 6/27/25, 12:43 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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