Last Tuesday, a group of six parents from Maryland took a stand for parental rights and filed a lawsuit against the Montgomery County Board of Education.
These parents, from diverse religious backgrounds including Islam, Catholicism, and Orthodox Christianity, are pushing back against what they see as an overreach by the school board.
They allege that the board has violated their parental rights by mandating books promoting a one-sided view of transgender ideology and same-sex relationships without prior notification to parents.
Last fall, the board introduced a list of 13 new books, branded as “LGBTQ-inclusive,” aimed at students from pre-K to eighth grade.
The inclusion of these books in the curriculum, however, has sparked controversy, as they are viewed by the parents as pushing a particular narrative around gender identity and sexuality that is inconsistent with their religious beliefs and principles of sound science.
One of the contested books, “Love, Violet,” intended for children as young as kindergarten, explores the theme of girls developing romantic feelings for other girls.
Another book, “Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope,” aimed at kindergarten-age children as well, introduces the idea that a girl could actually be a boy.
A third book, “Pride Puppy,” designed for children aged three to five, serves as an introduction to Pride parades.
The lawsuit also mentions that these books invite children as young as three to search for images related to LGBTQ activism and specific symbols like the “intersex flag,” amongst others.
The parents’ legal team, led by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a conservative law firm with a focus on religious freedom, argues that the school board’s actions violate Maryland state law, which requires school boards to notify parents about any curriculum material related to “sexuality” and permits parents to withdraw their child from such lessons.
The lawsuit further claims that the board has breached one of its own policies, as it has allegedly informed parents that they can no longer opt their children out of this particular curriculum.
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Eric Baxter, Vice President and Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund, voiced the parents’ concerns, stating, “Children are entitled to guidance from their own parents, who know and love them best, regarding how they’ll be introduced to complex issues concerning gender identity, transgenderism, and human sexuality.”
He further added, “Forced, ideological discussions during story hour won’t cut it, and excluding parents will only hinder, not help, inclusivity”.
The lawsuit is the latest example of parents nationwide asserting their rights in the face of school decisions that they believe conflict with their values and beliefs.
The parents are seeking an immediate injunction against the school board’s policy of no parental notice or opt-out option.
Named in the lawsuit are school board members and Superintendent Monifa McKnight of Montgomery County Public Schools, an affluent district located just north of Washington, D.C..
What does this mean for you as parents, educators, and concerned citizens?
It’s a call to action to remain vigilant and involved in our children’s education, to ensure that our values and beliefs are respected, and to fight for our rights to guide our children’s understanding of complex issues.
After all, as Baxter puts it, “When it comes to kids, it’s still ‘mom and dad know best.’ Schools can best help kids learn kindness by teaming up with parents, not cutting them out of the picture”.
