Supreme Court Affirms Parental Right to Opt Children Out of LGBTQ+ Themed School Books
Supreme Court Affirms Parental Right to Opt Children Out of LGBTQ+ Themed School Books
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a significant 6-3 ruling, affirming the right of parents to opt their children out of public school instruction that conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs. The decision, handed down on June 26, 2025, marks a major victory for a group of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish parents from Montgomery County, Maryland, who sought exemptions from classroom readings of storybooks with LGBTQ+ themes.
Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, stated that denying parents the ability to opt out from instruction posing a “very real threat of undermining their religious beliefs and practices” violates First Amendment protections for religious exercise. The court found that the Montgomery County Board of Education’s “LGBTQ+-inclusive” storybooks, coupled with its refusal to allow opt-outs, placed an unconstitutional burden on parents’ free exercise rights. The ruling also suggests that parents are likely to succeed in their ongoing lawsuit, entitling them to a preliminary injunction.
In dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor criticized the majority for inventing a “constitutional right to avoid exposure to subtle themes contrary to the religious principles that parents wish to instill in their children.” She argued that the ruling could lead to a “more narrow orthodoxy” in schools and undermine the duty to prepare students for a diverse society.
The case stemmed from the Montgomery County school board’s reversal of an earlier opt-out policy, which it had deemed unwieldy and contrary to inclusion values. Parents argued that the unexcused use of these books amounted to government-led indoctrination, while the school board maintained the books merely exposed children to diverse viewpoints.
Reactions to the ruling have been swift. Eric Baxter of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who represented the parents, hailed it as an “historic victory for parental rights,” emphasizing that parents, not the government, should have the final say in their children’s upbringing. Conversely, attorney Elly Brinkley, representing authors of some challenged books, called it a “deeply disappointing blow to the right to read under the First Amendment,” warning of a new front in the assault on books in schools. President Donald Trump also weighed in, calling it a “tremendous victory for parents” during a White House press briefing Friday.
This landmark decision sets a precedent for parental rights regarding sensitive educational content nationwide.
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