Supreme Court hears case from area faith leaders
The U.S. Supreme Court heard a case on April 22 concerning age-appropriate books featuring LGBTQ themes and characters in Montgomery County, Maryland, public schools, which is supported by local faith leaders.
A diverse group of 15 faith leaders who live in Montgomery County, Maryland, and send their children to the public school system supports the inclusion of books featuring LGBTQ themes and characters in Montgomery County Public Schools’ English Language Arts curriculum “as a reflection of our faith and values.”
“We want our children to be better prepared to live in the world as it actually is,” said United Methodist Minister Rev. Rachel Cornwell, pastor of Dumbarton UMC, on behalf of the group that recently filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court.
At issue in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor is whether parents of MCPS students can opt their children out of reading LGBTQ-themed books because they believe that the books are incompatible with their religious beliefs.
In their brief, the Montgomery County Jewish, Christian, and Unitarian faith leaders present two main points:
- Public education enables Americans to participate in a pluralistic society, and
- A constitutionally compelled opt-out system would undermine the First Amendment and public education
“Despite our different faith traditions, we agree that diversity and inclusion are important in our faith and public schools,” Rev. Cornwell said. “Allowing some children to opt out of reading certain books doesn’t prepare them to live in the diverse world as it is. As parents and faith leaders, we have a unique stake in the outcome of this case.”Beyond the constitutionality of a mandatory opt-out provision, the faith leaders worry about the larger threat this case poses to the entire public education system.
“If the Supreme Court rules in favor of a mandatory opt-out, this will create a chilling classroom effect,” Rev. Cornwell explained. “What if a student asks a question, and the teacher is afraid to answer it? There’s also the undue burden this places on classroom teachers and individual school administrators, who will be forced to provide an alternative curriculum.”
“Our children are going to learn things at school that we parents may not agree with; that’s public education,” Rev. Cornwell observed. “We want our kids to be empowered to have related conversations at home.”