Overview

• The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case challenging a Maryland school district's policy requiring exposure to LGBTQ-themed storybooks without parental opt-out options.
• Conservative justices, including Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, questioned whether the policy coerces young children into exposure that conflicts with religious beliefs.
• The school district defended the policy as fostering inclusivity and argued that exposure to diverse perspectives does not equate to religious coercion.
• Liberal justices warned that siding with parents could set a precedent allowing opt-outs from other curriculum topics, such as evolution or depictions of uncovered women.
• The case reflects broader national debates over parental rights, religious liberty, and LGBTQ inclusion in public education, with a decision anticipated by June 2025.