A federal court on Wednesday upheld a Maryland school district’s policy of not allowing parents to choose from a curriculum on gender identity and sexuality for young children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
2-1 panel verdict released Federal judges rejected a lower court’s request to block a policy issued by the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) board in March 2023, according to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. The judgment was upheld. Judge G. Steven Agee, an appointee of President George W. Bush, ruled that the policy violated the free exercise of religion and the right to due process to guide the education of children. wrote the majority opinion that the parents had not presented sufficient evidence to show that the
“Once parents have had the opportunity to develop a record of the circumstances surrounding the board’s decision and how the sentences in question are used in practice, it is important to note that parents can support any of their various theories.” “We have no idea whether we can present sufficient evidence for the school,” Agee wrote.
“However, at this early stage, given the extensive claims of the parents, the very high costs required to obtain a preliminary injunction, and the poor record before us, we cannot proceed with the preliminary injunction. We must affirm the district court’s order denying the injunction.”
Muslim, Jewish, and Christian parents represented by the Beckett Fund for Religious Freedom say school districts refuse to allow young children to opt out of reading LGBTQQIAAP2S+-themed books and participating in curriculum. They argued that what they were doing was a violation of their right to raise their children. Depending on their faith and how that faith defines their identity and sexuality. Parents also argued that the material was not age appropriate for such young students.
The titles of the books incorporated into the K-5 curriculum are: pride puppies, uncle bobby’s weddingand Born Ready: The true story of a boy named Penelope.Book pride puppies It was “the only test explicitly approved for use in prekindergarten and Head Start classrooms” and “encouraged the 3- and 4-year-old audience to look for items such as:”[drag] “King”, “Leather”, “Rip Ring”, “[drag] The judge’s opinion cited “queen” and “underwear.”
Children’s books with LGBTQ content are on display during the annual Pride Town Hall at Walter Johnson High School on May 21, 2022 in Bethesda, Maryland. (Astrid Riecken of The Washington Post, via Getty Images)
Parents also noted that the district provided guidance to staff on how to redirect concerns about LGBTQ+ content and questions from students.
Order details:
This guidance advises that when a student says, “Girls…”, “Girls…”. . . She can only like boys because she is a girl,” the teacher can do.[d]Destroy binary thinking by saying things like: In fact, you can love anyone you want, regardless of their gender. . . . What do you think __(character’s name)__ would think if he heard you? I think it’s fair for people to decide who we can and can’t like. Do you think? ”
Still, the committee ultimately ruled that “merely hearing other opinions does not necessarily pressure people to engage in beliefs or actions different from one’s own religious beliefs,” according to the opinion. is written.
Judge A. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr., appointed by former President Donald Trump, wrote a dissenting opinion that would overturn the district court’s ruling and block the school district’s policy.
“Parents believe that the board’s decision to refuse to opt out of religion forces them to choose between sacrificing their religious beliefs and forgoing public education; “The children have shown that they are burdening their parents’ right to direct them,” Quattlebaum wrote.
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with a book that has been the subject of complaints from parents in recent weeks on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
“I also think that the board’s actions, at least based on this record, were neither neutral nor generally applicable. Finally, we found that the parents set out other requirements for the preliminary injunction. Therefore, I am reversing the district court and enjoining the Montgomery County Board of Education from denying religious opt-outs in instruction for students in kindergarten through fifth grade related to the text.” continued.
he added:
And I do not agree with the majority’s conclusion that the parents have not presented sufficient evidence to show that a freely exercised right is burdened. My parents have borne the burden. They published a book that no one would argue could be used to teach children from kindergarten through fifth grade. They produced a statement detailing why the book contradicted their religious beliefs. They created the board’s own internal document suggesting how teachers should respond to students and parents who question the content of a book.
“These parents’ beliefs dictate that they, not others, teach their children about sex, human sexuality, gender, and family life. Their beliefs dictate that they, not others, teach their children about sex, human sexuality, gender, and family life. “It requires us to protect our children from teachings that contradict and undermine our views,” he wrote. “And no matter how you slice it, the board’s decision to deny religious opt-outs prevents parents from exercising these aspects of their faith if they want their children to receive a public education. .”
Eric Baxter, Senior Advisor and Vice Chairman, Beckett Fund for Religious Freedom Said Fox 5 DC’s parents are disappointed in the decision. He pointed out that parents are not asking for books to be removed from schools, only that young children have the option to opt out.
“We understand that there are different parents with different perspectives,” Baxter said. “However, every parent should have the right to determine whether something is inappropriate for their child and to remove their child from the classroom in those circumstances. And that is something that all Montgomery County residents I think it is achievable.”
Baxter said he plans to appeal the case to the Supreme Court.
The case is mahmud v. mac nightNo. No. 23-1890 United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her at @thekat_Hamilton.
