Parents from Montgomery County, Maryland, rallied near a federal courthouse Wednesday before a judge hears arguments in a family-led lawsuit against the school system requiring LGBTQ classroom materials for young children.

A group of parents gathered across the street from the U.S. District of Maryland Courthouse in Greenbelt for a demonstration before the case, Mahmoud v. McKnight, went before a judge at 10 a.m.

The case centers around Montgomery County Public Schools’ decision to terminate its opt-out option for six new books addressing gay and transgender issues with elementary students — one book for each grade from kindergarten through fifth grade.

“You are the voice of those who have no voice,” said Wael Elkoshairi, a Montgomery County parent and spokesman for the Family Rights for Religious Freedom.

The plaintiffs argue the policy violates a state law letting parents withhold their children from classes teaching human growth and sexuality.

MCPS has stated its policy complies with state law because the new books fall under the county’s literacy curriculum. If the policy is upheld, it will take effect when the school year begins Aug. 28.

The new policy has evoked an intense response from parents.

Hundreds of Muslim, Catholic and Ethiopian Orthodox families organized multiple rallies outside the Montgomery County Board of Education’s headquarters where parents contended that removing the opt-out violates their religious rights.

Wednesday’s rally drew a smaller crowd, but parents remained committed to their cause of having the opt-out restored.

“Introducing terms like ‘cisgender’ to a first-grader… I don’t think that’s a term a 6-year-old can really process,” a parent with two pre-K children, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Washington Times at the rally. “I think those are conversations a parent should have with their children.”

The Council on American Islamic Relations obtained emails from MCPS administrators this month where school leaders expressed concern about how age-appropriate the LGBTQ materials are.

Mr. Elkoshairi said at the rally the emails were an acknowledgment that teachers can’t handle such discussions.

The books approved by the school system in December include “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” by Sarah S. Brannen, “Pride Puppy!” by Robin Stevenson, “My Rainbow” by DeShanna and Trinity Neal, “Love, Violet” by Charlotte Sullivan Wild and “Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope” by Jodie Patterson.

The plaintiffs argue the decision to opt-out was maintained until March, when MCPS altered the policy’s language. The lawsuit was first filed in May.

Teachers will have the option to include the books in class lessons, according to the new policy.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.