Mormon Couple Challenges School District Over LGBTQ Education

A Mormon couple, concerned about extremist gender ideology affecting their children, has been informed by the Sunnyvale School District in Santa Clara County that LGBTQ curriculum is mandatory and cannot be opted out of by parents.

This notice came after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Mahmoud vs. Taylor, where a Maryland school district claimed its policy of not notifying parents about LGBTQ-related sessions constituted an unconstitutional burden on religious freedoms.

Amidst this backdrop, the district allegedly denied the parents’ request to opt out after a California Department of Education report stated that schools must provide parents the option to opt out of policies that may interfere with their religious rights.

Feeling uneasy about their children being influenced by what they see as LGBTQ propaganda in the district’s Cumberland Elementary School, Justin and Rose Taylor are now represented by the Beckett Fund for Religious Freedom. They filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for Northern California.

The Taylors are parents to four children, including a third-grade son and a first-grade daughter, who are doing well at Cumberland. In a statement, they expressed, “Our children are the most important people in our lives. Because we know and love our children best, we should be the ones deciding when and how our children learn about sensitive topics around sexuality and gender.” They believe the Supreme Court has upheld this right for religious parents across the nation.

Alvin Louie, president of the advocacy group Courage is a Habit, commented on the situation, saying that California school districts have been promoting LGBTQ issues for nearly two decades, and now they are bolder than ever. He expressed his support for the Taylors taking a stand in their district.

The lawsuit claims that the Sunnyvale School District’s refusal undermines the constitutional rights of parents to direct their children’s education based on their religious beliefs. The couple is seeking several legal declarations, including:

• A declaration that the district’s refusal to allow opt-outs of LGBTQ instruction violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.
• A statement asserting that compelling children to engage with LGBTQ material violates their Free Speech rights.
• A claim that forcing children to participate in these discussions violates their parents’ Due Process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment.
• Injunctions to prevent schools from mandating participation in LGBTQ sessions.
• Compensation for loss of parenting rights under federal law.

Sunnyvale School District has not commented on the lawsuit.

The complaint describes various materials the district allegedly uses to promote LGBTQ narratives, claiming that its approach integrates LGBTQ+ history and identities across multiple subjects. For instance, math teachers are encouraged to use topics on marriage equality to teach statistics, while science curricula suggest gender-neutral terms to avoid linking gender to biological sex.

The lawsuit points out particular materials, like altered children’s songs and books aimed at very young children that introduce them to LGBTQ themes, as being inappropriate for the age group.

Additionally, it is stated that the district initially signaled a willingness to allow opt-outs but then reversed its decision. A communication from the district explicitly noted the unavailability of an opt-out option for the LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum.

Notably, one of the defendants, the district’s Student Support Services Director, mentioned surprise at the lawsuit, claiming there had been positive discussions with the family earlier regarding their concerns.

Amidst this, Alvin Louie warned parents that they should remain vigilant, as school officials might not adhere to Supreme Court rulings in these matters. He remarked, “School boards will continue to defy SCOTUS rulings and look the other way.”