Overview

• The justices issued a 6-3 preliminary injunction allowing Maryland parents to pull their elementary-aged children from lessons featuring LGBTQ-inclusive books as their challenge proceeds.
• Justice Samuel Alito’s majority opinion held that Montgomery County’s 2023 decision to eliminate opt-outs for titles such as “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” and “Born Ready” imposed an unconstitutional burden on parents’ free exercise of religion.
• Plaintiffs from Muslim, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox backgrounds sued after the district reversed its initial 2022 opt-out allowance, prompting protests over notice and exclusion rights.
• Liberal dissenters warned the ruling effectively grants parents veto power over a broad array of curricular materials and threatens longstanding public education practices.
• Lower federal courts had upheld the school board’s stance citing logistical hurdles and stigma concerns, but the Supreme Court applied strict scrutiny to protect religious freedom in the classroom.