Parental Rights Under Assault In Education

A seminal cultural issue is the tug-of-war over parental rights and children's education. Increasingly parents are demanding more involvement in what's taught in schools. School districts are pushing back, contending they know what's best for students. Parental rights stop at the school's front door.  

A high-stakes battle over the issue has reached the nation's highest court.  The case involves Maryland parents pitted against the Montgomery County Board of Education.  Parents sued the district over LGBTQ themed books for pre-Kindergarten and elementary-aged children. 

The Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision in the case this summer.  The suit has reignited the simmering battle over school books, curriculum and teachers classroom guides. Many school boards and the teachers union have erected roadblocks to parental oversight of their child's education. 

At issue in the Maryland case, is the Montgomery County Board of Education's refusal to allow parents to opt out classes that use books with LGBTQ themes in elementary school.  Montgomery County is the 14th largest district in the nation with more than 160,000 students, including 70,000 elementary kids. 

In 2022, Maryland's largest district announced revisions to its curriculum would include new storybooks with young LGBTQ characters to foster diversity and inclusion.  Parents decided to take the issue to court in 2023 after the district refused to honor opt-out requests for students after saying it would.  

Maryland has a law as many states do that requires parental notification and the ability to opt-out of sexual education classes and controversial readings on related topics. The board's own guidelines guarantee parents may seek opt-outs and alternative assignments.  

The board reversed course when a vocal group of parents protested that the opt-out amounted to a violation of their First Amendment rights. Three families took issue with the powerful board, arguing the books subject matter infringed on their free exercise of religion. 

It's worth noting that the opposition group included members of the Catholic, Muslim and Ukrainian Orthodox churches.  They did not challenge the curriculum or demand the school district stop reading the books to other students.  All they asked was the right to have their children excused from the class.

The media has tried to frame this as book banning.  That is patently untrue. Others have contended that religious beliefs don't belong in public schools. But the parents are not lobbying to teach a religious point of view on LGBTQ.  They just don't want their kids exposed to gender affirming messages.

A Montgomery County district board member defended their decision by claiming if books "offend your family's religious values or your core beliefs is just telling (your) kid, 'Here's another reason to hate another person.'"  That irrational judgment reflects the board's contempt for parents. 

Parents should not be asked to surrender their right to instill religious upbringing for their children. Issues surrounding family life and human sexuality are at the heart of many religions teachings. Parents are the best guides on these matters, especially at the elementary and pre-K level. 

It helps to know the content of the richly illustrated books to understand the parents' position. The books, read to pre-K and elementary school-age children, champion pride parades, gender transitioning and pronoun preferences for children.  

As one example, a book tasks three-and-four-year olds to search for images from a word list that includes "intersex flag," "drag queen," leather and the name of a celebrated LGBTQ activist and sex worker. Teaching guides suggest it is "hurtful" if students question these ideas.

The books included "My Rainbow," about a mother who makes a rainbow colored wig for her transgender daughter. Another, "Love Violet," tells the story of a girl who develops a crush on her female classmate Mira. Only Mira made "Violet's heart skip," the book emphasizes. 

One book describes the story of a girl attending her uncle's same-sex wedding. Another, innocently named "Puppy Pride," tells the story of a dog that gets lost during a pride parade.  The deceptively disguised LGBTQ ideology unfolds on the pages. 

The books were front and center when the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in April.  The case landed at the high court after the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the parents of children enrolled in Montgomery County public schools had no right to be notified or opt-out their kids.

The high court has an opportunity to ratify parental rights and religious freedom in its decision.  In addition, the justices should make it clear that parents--not the state or school district--should have the right to decide when to introduce their children to sensitive issues about gender and sexuality.