Overview

• The 6-3 conservative majority held that forcing LGBTQ-themed instruction without opt-outs places a substantial burden on parents’ First Amendment free exercise rights.
• Justice Samuel Alito issued a preliminary injunction ordering Montgomery County schools to notify families ahead of any LGBTQ-themed lessons and allow students to opt out during the ongoing litigation.
• The high court overturned earlier rulings by district and appeals courts and remanded the case to the lower court for application of strict scrutiny review.
• The suit was brought by Muslim, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox parents who objected to storybooks introduced in 2022 and later restricted opt-out options amid rising absences.
• Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent warned the decision grants parents a de facto veto over curricula and could inspire similar challenges that narrow inclusive education nationwide.