Parents in Montgomery County in Maryland, many of whom are Muslims, wanted the ability to opt their children out of school lessons that include LGBT content and gender ideology.
A federal judge just ruled against them.
FOX News reports:
Maryland Court says parents can’t opt kids out of LGBTQ+ curriculum: ‘Not a fundamental right’A federal court in Maryland decided Thursday that parents can’t opt their kids out of reading books with LGBTQ+ content in Montgomery County Schools.In Tamer Mahmoud v. Monica B. McKnight, parents sought to reinstate a MCPS policy that would allow them to opt their children out of reading and discussing books with LGBTQ+ characters in elementary schools. The parents argued the content in these books was a form of indoctrination that violated their families’ religious beliefs.The court disagreed. Judge Deborah L. Boardman, a Biden appointee, concluded that the parents’ “asserted due process right to direct their children’s upbringing by opting out of a public-school curriculum that conflicts with their religious views is not a fundamental right.”The judge denied the parents’ request for a preliminary injunction that would allow them to opt-out their kids when school begins on August 28.”Because the plaintiffs have not established any of their claims is likely to succeed on the merits, the Court need not address the remaining preliminary injunction factors. Nonetheless, because a constitutional violation is not likely or imminent, it follows that the plaintiffs are not likely to suffer imminent irreparable harm, and the balance of the equities and the public interest favor denying an injunction to avoid undermining the School Board’s legitimate interests in the no-opt-out policy,” the judge determined.
NBC News in Washington has more:
Some of the books at the center of the clash include “Pride Puppy,” geared toward preschoolers and “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” geared toward students in kindergarten through 5th grade.Those rallying Thursday to support MCPS said they believe the approach will benefit students once they graduate and enter into the real world.”Our young folks now are growing up with a lot more representation in the media and out there in the world,” said Lee Blinder, the co-chair for the Coalition for Inclusive Schools and Communities.Philip Alexander Downie, the other co-chair, added, “Queer people exist in every facet of every part of our society, in every religion.”The parents suing the school district filed the lawsuit because they believe MCPS is infringing on their religious rights.They wanted to be able to immediately opt their children out of lessons involving LGBTQ+ books, “to represent the right of parents to protect their religious training and upbringings of their children,” said Eric Baxter, attorney for the group of parents.“We want to be able to be in control of what our children are learning in school,” father Dagmawi Lakew said on Aug. 9 in an interview outside the federal court.“You feel like your rights as a parent are just being stripped away,” he said.
Featured image via YouTube.
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