A group of parents from various religious backgrounds is petitioning the Supreme Court to take up their case against a Maryland school board that has removed the option for elementary school children to opt out of lessons featuring books on gender transitioning and LGBTQ themes.

Initially, the Montgomery County Board of Education allowed parents to opt their children out when these storybooks were introduced in 2022.

However, in 2023, the board reversed its policy, which led to parents filing a lawsuit over what they argue is a violation of their First Amendment rights, specifically regarding religious freedom.

The parents claim that without the ability to opt out, their religious freedoms are being infringed upon, as they do not want their children exposed to material that contradicts their faith.

Lower courts have ruled against the parents, with the district court and the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals finding that the absence of an opt-out option does not infringe upon the parents’ religious practices.

The parents’ petition to the Supreme Court emphasizes that the First Amendment protects their right to guide their children’s beliefs, arguing that public schools should not impose specific ideologies about gender and sexuality on their children.

They seek the Supreme Court’s review to restore their rights to direct their children’s education on such sensitive matters.

The Montgomery County school board has declined to comment on the case, while Eric Baxter, from the religious liberty law firm representing the parents, stated that parents should have the right to excuse their children from discussions on gender and sexuality, just as parental consent is required for sex education in most states.