A Maryland court ruled this week that parents cannot withdraw their children from lessons featuring inclusive LGBTQ+ books on religious grounds, stating that families do not have a “fundamental right” to interfere with public education in the name of their beliefs.
In a lawsuit, Tamer Mahmoud et al. v. McKnight et al., filed in May, three families from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) sought to reinstate the district’s policy that allowed them to withdraw their children from lessons featuring inclusive books because they “contradicted their deeply held religious beliefs.” the sincerity of marriage, human sexuality, and gender,” explained the results seen by The Post.
Judge Deborah L. Boardman, however, denied the parents’ request for a preliminary injunction when school starts on August 28, stating that they failed to establish that their due process right to shape their children’s education in accordance with their religious practices is a “fundamental right ,” the document continued.
Three families are suing Montgomery County Public Schools to pull their children from lessons they say violate their religious beliefs.MICHAEL REYNOLDS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
In his writing, the Biden-appointed judge cited several known benefits of an inclusive curriculum, including “[f]oysters[ing] social integration and cultural inclusion of transgender and gender non-conforming students” and reducing stigma in the community.
“A no-opt-out policy does not put pressure on parents to refrain from teaching their religion, engage in behavior that would violate their religious beliefs, or change their religious beliefs. The policy may pressure them to discuss the topics raised by the storybook with their children, but that discussion is expected, not prohibited, by the parents’ beliefs,” Boardman wrote.
“Parents are not pressured to violate their religious beliefs to obtain the benefits of a public education.”
The district ended a policy that notified parents about “inclusive” lessons in March.NBC 4 Washington
The denial of the injunction is just one step of the ongoing lawsuit: The court will still hear the entire case before issuing a final decision.
The controversy at Maryland’s largest public school district erupted last fall, when the school introduced more than 20 inclusion books for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, explained Becket Religious Liberty for All, a law firm representing the parents.
At first, parents received notice when these books — including “Pride Puppy” and “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” — would be in their child’s classroom.
Pro-opt-out protesters are angry at the judge’s decision.MICHAEL REYNOLDS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
In March, however, the district issued a statement that it would no longer notify parents or honor their requests to withdraw their students from these lessons, the organization noted.
MCPS did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment on the policy change or the Board Member’s decision.
Parents from various religious backgrounds — including Islam, Roman Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity — oppose the policy change, and argue that lessons that mention same-sex relationships, Pride parades and drag queens violate their religious teachings, Becket’s website said.
The court still needs to hear the entire case before issuing a final decision.NBC 4 Washington
The firm was “disappointed” by Thursday’s decision, senior counsel Eric Baxter told The Post in a statement.
“Parents have a fundamental right to guide their children’s upbringing on complex and sensitive issues, including gender and sexuality,” Baxter continued.
“ Recently introduced guidelines…focus earlier on romantic feelings, accept gender transition, teach that gender at birth is only the doctor’s best ‘guess’, and encourage children to ignore doctors, parents and science in favor of feelings .
“Parents across various faiths, including Muslims, Christians and Jews, are simply asking for their notice and right to withdraw to be returned.”
The parents in the lawsuit will seek relief from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, Baxter added.
Parents opposed to curriculum featuring LGBTQ+ inclusive books challenge district’s new policy.NBC 4 Washington
One of the fathers involved in the suit, Dagmawi Lakew, said in an interview on August 9 that “their rights as parents are just being taken away.”
“We want to be able to control what our children learn in school,” he lamented.
Becket did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for additional comment on Thursday’s decision.
Dozens of other district parents gathered outside the courthouse Thursday to celebrate Boardman’s decision.
“I think it’s really important for everyone to be included, so that kids get exposure to people who aren’t like them,” parent Mara Greengrass told NBC News.
“MCPS remains committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming learning environment and creating opportunities where all students see themselves and their families in curriculum materials,” the district told the outlet.
“We will also continue to adhere to our responsibility to include teaching materials that reflect the diversity of the local and global community by exploring the aspirations, issues, and achievements of women and men, the disabled, people of various races, ethnicities, and religions. and cultural background, as well as diverse gender identities, gender expressions and sexual orientations
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
