• Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Investing
  • Stock
Editor's Pick

Supreme Court likely to side with parents in letting them opt out of LGBTQ storybooks, expert says

by April 23, 2025
written by April 23, 2025

Several Supreme Court justices signaled sympathy Tuesday toward Maryland parents who are seeking to opt their children out of LGBTQ-themed classroom materials. One education expert said the case could lead to a ruling that expands parental rights in public schools nationwide. 

‘This looks pretty promising for the parent petitioners in this case,’ said Sarah Parshall Perry, vice president and legal fellow of the grassroots organization Defending Education. ‘I heard a lot of very aggressive questioning from the three liberal justices, but no matter how you slice this apple, it looks to be a very clear violation of the First Amendment, as exercised through the 14th Amendment’s right to direct a child’s religious upbringing.’

Perry previously served as the lead lawyer to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education from 2020 to 2021, where she drafted the Office for Civil Rights’ (OCR) annual report to Congress.

‘They’re very malleable,’ Perry said of the 4-and 5-year-olds in the case. ‘They’re very much shaped by their environment, by what they’re exposed to, and they don’t have the meaningful agency to be able to opt out or object or push back. And so these individuals are learning their own familial values while being exposed to material that is, as Justice [Amy Coney] Barrett and Justice [Neil] Gorsuch pointed out, designed to influence their thinking.’

At the heart of Mahmoud v. Taylor is a lawsuit brought by religious parents—Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Ukrainian Orthodox—who argue that the school district’s policy violates their First Amendment rights by forcing their children to engage with instruction that contradicts their faith.

The Fourth Circuit Court, a federal appeals court, ruled last year that there was no violation of religious exercise rights, stating that the policy did not force parents to change their religious beliefs or conduct and that parents could still teach their children outside of school.

Several conservative justices, including Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, appeared sympathetic to the parents’ concerns during the two-and-a-half-hour oral debate. Alito questioned the moral messages conveyed by books like ‘Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,’ suggesting that such content might conflict with deeply held religious beliefs. Justice Brett Kavanaugh also pressed the school district’s attorneys on why opt-out provisions, similar to those in sex education, could not be extended to these storybooks.

Meanwhile, the liberal justices argued that mere exposure to these books may not constitute coercion or a violation of religious freedoms. The school district contended that the policy promotes inclusivity and exposure to LGBTQ viewpoints does not equate to forced belief changes.

‘I think it was highly sort of predictable,’ Perry said of the liberal justices’ arguments. ‘They are trying to prove that there is going to be too much of a burden on the school district to allow these children to opt out because the consequences could, for example, be catastrophic for the ability of a public school to manage its own affairs.’

‘The reason we see an issue like this at the Supreme Court is because these are issues directly related to religious liberty and directly related to the very early cognitive stages of development for minor children,’ Perry said. ‘And it’s very clear … that a burden of religious liberty within public education has to be treated quite seriously by the court and deference must be given to religious parents if the burden is very clear.’

‘I think in this instance, it is indeed crystal clear,’ she added. 

Among the storybooks at the center of the case is ‘Prince & Knight,’ a modern fairy tale aimed at children ages 4 to 8, which tells the story of two men who fall in love after joining forces to defeat a dragon and later marry. Another book frequently referenced during oral arguments was ‘Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,’ which follows a young girl processing her favorite uncle’s decision to marry another man.

‘Because parental rights have become sort of the cultural zeitgeist for where we are in this political day and age, I think we are certain to see more litigation, not less, and more pushback,’ Perry said. 

The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in the case by late June.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

previous post
Palestinian leader demands Hamas release remaining hostages
next post
Inside the $1 billion berry startup backed by Ray Dalio’s family office

related articles

TIMELINE: Inside the evolving relationship between Trump and...

June 7, 2025

Deadly drone wars are already here and the...

June 7, 2025

FLASHBACK: Musk accused Trump, GOP leaders of not...

June 7, 2025

‘Right down the line’: Medicaid reform in ‘big,...

June 7, 2025

TSA tells Americans their Costco cards won’t fly...

June 7, 2025

Trump announces China will restart rare earth mineral...

June 7, 2025

Musk feud presents ‘unprecedented’ dynamic compared to past...

June 7, 2025

Supreme Court rules DOGE can access Social Security...

June 6, 2025

Snub of Musk’s NASA nominee ally preceded sudden...

June 6, 2025

US sanctions money laundering network aiding Iran as...

June 6, 2025
Enter Your Information Below To Receive Free Trading Ideas, Latest News, And Articles.


Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

Latest News

  • McConnell warns RFK Jr. to steer clear of the polio vaccine

    December 14, 2024
  • ANDREW BATES: How Democrats can crush Republicans on the economy and win the midterms

    February 3, 2025
  • GOP lawmaker calls for FBI investigation into ‘alarming’ allegations against top Dem fundraising platform

    March 13, 2025
  • Trump appoints Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence: ‘Fearless spirit’

    November 13, 2024
  • Donald Trump Jr. has ‘ZERO interest’ in a 2028 run, but isn’t ruling out possibility of a political future

    May 21, 2025

Popular Posts

  • 1

    Secret Service admits leaning on ‘state and local partners’ after claim it ignored Trump team’s past requests

    July 21, 2024
  • 2

    Elon and Vivek should tackle US funding for this boondoogle organization and score a multimillion dollar win

    December 4, 2024
  • 3

    Forex Profit Calculator: Maximize Your Trading Potential

    July 10, 2024
  • 4

    Five more House Democrats call on Biden to drop out, third US senator

    July 19, 2024
  • 5

    Biden calls to ‘lower the temperature’ then bashes Trump in NAACP speech

    July 17, 2024

Categories

  • Economy (829)
  • Editor's Pick (4,856)
  • Investing (624)
  • Stock (790)

Latest Posts

  • Lawyer of whistleblower in Trump impeachment case sues administration over revoked security clearance

    May 6, 2025
  • House GOP unveils Medicaid work requirements in Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’

    May 12, 2025
  • DOGE team welcomed at the Pentagon but some remain skeptical

    February 18, 2025

Recent Posts

  • Trump speaks with Russia’s Putin about ending Ukraine war

    March 18, 2025
  • UK dividend payouts hit record high of £36.7 billion in Q2: Can it sustain?

    July 23, 2024
  • The dollar index surged above the EMA 200 this morning

    September 11, 2024

Editor’s Pick

  • ‘Sick puppy’ Tim Walz should never have been on Dems’ 2024 ticket, Trump says

    June 5, 2025
  • Dems hitting Vance with debunked vulgar claim ‘undermine’ their anti-Trump credibility, strategist says

    August 12, 2024
  • Obama officials, Trump critics target Hegseth’s Ukraine ‘concessions’ as ‘biggest gift’ to Russia

    February 13, 2025
  • About us
  • Contacts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Disclaimer: moneyrisetoday.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

Copyright © 2025 moneyrisetoday.com | All Rights Reserved

Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Investing
  • Stock