Supreme Court takes up religious rights dispute over LGBTQ books in Maryland schools
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments Tuesday over the religious rights of parents in Maryland to remove their children from elementary school classes using storybooks with LGBTQ characters.
The case is the latest dispute involving religion to come before the conservative-led court. The justices have repeatedly endorsed claims of religious discrimination in recent years.
The Montgomery County public schools, in suburban Washington, D.C., introduced the storybooks as part of an effort to better reflect the district's diverse population.
Parents sued after the school system stopped allowing them to pull their kids from lessons that included the books. The parents argue that public schools cannot force kids to participate in instruction that violates their faith, and they pointed to the opt-out provisions in sex education classes.
The schools said allowing children to opt out of the lessons had become disruptive. Lower courts backed the schools, prompting the parents' appeal to the Supreme Court.
Five books are at issue in the high court case, touching on the same themes found in classic stories that include Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan, the school system's lawyers wrote.
In 'Prince and Knight,' two men fall in love after they rescue the kingdom, and each other. In 'Uncle Bobby's Wedding,' a niece worries that her uncle will not have as much time for her after he gets married. His partner is a man.
'Love, Violet' deals with a girl's anxiety about giving a valentine to another girl. 'Born Ready' is the story of a transgender boy's decision to share his gender identity with his family and the world. 'Intersection Allies' describes nine characters of varying backgrounds, including one who is gender-fluid.
Billy Moges, a board member of the Kids First parents' group that sued over the books, said the content is sexual, confusing and inappropriate for young schoolchildren.
The writers' group Pen America said in a court filing what the parents want is 'a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name.' Pen America reported more than 10,000 books were banned in the last school year.
A decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor is expected by early summer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
35 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
White House breaks ground on Trump projects to pave over Rose Garden grass, add flagpoles to lawns
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House broke ground Monday on construction projects ordered by President Donald Trump to pave over the grass in the Rose Garden and install flagpoles on the north and south lawns. The projects are part of a series of personal touches that Trump, a real estate developer turned politician, has added or is adding to the Executive Mansion and its grounds since he opened his second term in January. The projects also include new artwork of himself on walls and gold-toned flourishes in the Oval Office. He also wants to add a ballroom. Reporters on Monday noticed that work had begun in the Rose Garden, just off the Oval Office on the south grounds, when they were taken out to the South Lawn to wait for Trump to return on the Marine One helicopter from an overnight at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland. Photos showed that a limestone border that first lady Melania Trump had added during a Rose Garden renovation project in her husband's first term had been removed in some places and the grass had been dug up in others spots. Employees of the National Park Service, which maintains the White House grounds, started the work on Monday, according to a White House official. The project is set to be completed in about two months, or the first half of August, said the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly on intended changes to the Executive Mansion and spoke on the condition of anonymity. After stepping off the helicopter, Trump walked over to a bulldozer that was on the South Lawn to start digging a foundation for one of two flagpoles he promised in April. One flagpole will be added to the South Lawn, and the second will be installed on the North Lawn, he said. Trump said he was installing two 'beautiful' flagpoles 'paid for by Trump' on the grounds because 'they've needed flagpoles for 200 years.' The American and POW/MIA flags fly on the roof of the White House every day. The Republican president said months ago that he would pave over the Rose Garden because the grass there is always wet and an inconvenience for women in high heels. It was unclear if he planned to pay for this project. Last week, Trump posted on his social media site about the ballroom he promised, 'compliments of a man known as Donald J. Trump.' He wrote on Friday that he had inspected the site for the ballroom, saying it will be a 'wonderful addition' and is an example of the ''fun' projects I do while thinking about the World Economy, the United States, China, Russia, and lots of other Countries, places, and events.' ___ Follow the AP's coverage of President Donald Trump at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Police tear gas activists protesting the death in police custody of a Kenyan blogger
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan police tear gassed activists twice as they marched to the main police station in the capital Nairobi during a protest Monday against the death of a blogger in police custody under unclear circumstances. Albert Ojwang was found dead while in custody at the Central Police Station and police attributed his death to 'hitting his head against the cell wall," but activists have questioned the cause of death. Ojwang was arrested Friday in Homa Bay in western Kenya and driven 400 kilometers (248 miles) to Nairobi for what police said was publishing 'false information' about a top police official on social media. This blogger's death comes almost a year after several activists and protesters were killed and abducted by Kenyan police during finance bill protests in 2024. Economic frustration remains high, despite the proposed taxes being scrapped last year. 'Our demands are still not met. The joblessness they had last year is tenfold. The killings are still happening," said Ndungi Githuku, activist from the People's Liberation Party. "So, nothing was resolved out of the protests that we had. We have freedom that is half baked. This country belongs to the rich, so it is time for the poor to rise. This is what is going to happen (on the anniversary) in a few days.' The Kenyan police said the Independent Policing Oversight Authority has launched an investigation. Officers who were on duty when Ojwang died in custody will also not be returning to work while they await the outcome of investigations, said police Inspector-General Douglas Kanja. However, many are skeptical of the proceedings. 'Until now they (Kenya Police) have not told us the truth. We know there were more injuries. They have decided to sacrifice junior officers. We want justice for Ojwang and many others who have lost their lives,' said Hussein Khalid from the Vocal Africa human rights organization. Rights group Amnesty Kenya said in a statement that Ojwang's arrest raises serious questions and that the results of the IPOA report must be made public and any officers found responsible must be held fully accountable. 'We are in an era whereby speaking against the government is a crime, complaining against poor leadership and mismanagement of public affairs is a crime. I pity (Ojwang's) 5-month-old baby and wife. I am protesting extrajudicial killings — one of us is all of us,' said activist Ouma Paul Oyao. Ojwang's death continued to spark outrage online and has renewed calls for protests to demand accountability from the government. 'This government is actually urging us to come out in the street again. They are saying they have not repented; they are saying that they will continue abducting and assassinating us. So, what we are saying (is) that it's better to shout and die than to keep quiet and be gotten from our homes while we are quiet,' said Githuku of the People's Liberation Party.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Can $1,000 at birth change a child's future? A Republican proposal aims to find out
WASHINGTON (AP) — When children of wealthy families reach adulthood, they often benefit from the largesse of parents in the form of a trust fund. It's another way they get a leg up on less affluent peers, who may receive nothing at all — or even be expected to support their families. But what if all children — regardless of their family's circumstances — could get a financial boost when they turn 18? That's the idea behind a House GOP proposal backed by President Donald Trump. It would create accounts for all babies born in the U.S. over the next four years with $1,000 that would accrue interest until the children reach adulthood. At age 18, they could withdraw the money to put toward a down payment for a home, education or to start a small business. If the money is used for other purposes, it'll be taxed at a higher rate. It builds on the concept of ' baby bonds,' which two states — California and Connecticut — and the District of Columbia have introduced as a way to reduce gaps between wealthy people and poor people. Rep. Blake Moore, a Republican from Utah, spearheaded the effort to get the initiative into a massive House spending bill. In an op-ed for the Washington Examiner, he said wealth inequality has soured many people on capitalism. 'Trump Accounts,' as the proposal calls them, could be the antidote, he said. 'We know that America's economic engine is working, but not everyone feels connected to its value and the ways it can benefit them," Moore wrote. 'If we can demonstrate to our next generation the benefits of investing and financial health, we can put them on a path toward prosperity.' The bill calls for the money to be handled by investment firms. The bill would require at least one parent to produce a Social Security number with work authorizations, meaning the U.S. citizen children born to some categories of immigrants would be excluded from the benefit. But unlike other baby bond programs, which generally target disadvantaged groups, this one would be available to families of all incomes. 'When little baby is born they're gonna start off with a thousand dollars and if we do a good job of investing their money — we're going to go with one of the investing guidelines, who the hell knows if they're any good — but they have a chance to be very rich,' Trump said at a rally last week in Pittsburgh. 'It's going to be very cute to see.' Economist Darrick Hamilton of The New School, who first pitched the idea of baby bonds a quarter-century ago, said the GOP proposal would exacerbate rather than reduce wealth gaps. He envisioned a program that would be universal but would give children from poor families a larger endowment than their wealthier peers, in an attempt to level the playing field. The money would be handled by the government, not by private firms on Wall Street. 'It is upside down,' Hamilton said. 'It's going to enhance inequality.' Hamilton added that $1,000 — even with interest — would not be enough to make a significant difference for a child living in poverty. A Silicon Valley investor who created the blueprint for the proposal, Brad Gerstner, said in an interview with CNBC last year that the accounts could help address the wealth gap and the loss of faith in capitalism that represent an existential crisis for the U.S. 'The rise and fall of nations occurs when you have a wealth gap that grows, when you have people who lose faith in the system,' Gerstner said. 'We're not agentless. We can do something.' The proposal comes as Congressional Republicans and Trump face backlash for proposed cuts to programs that poor families with children rely on, including food assistance and Medicaid. Even some who back the idea of baby bonds are skeptical, noting Trump wants to cut higher education grants and programs that aid young people on the cusp of adulthood — the same age group Trump Accounts are supposed to help. Pending federal legislation would slash Medicaid and food and housing assistance that many families with children rely on. Young adults who grew up in poverty often struggle with covering basics like rent and transportation — expenses that Trump Accounts could not be tapped to cover, said Eve Valdez, an advocate for youth in foster care in southern California. Accounts for newborn children that cannot be accessed for 18 years mean little to families struggling to meet basic needs today, said Shimica Gaskins of End Child Poverty California. 'Having children have health care, having their families have access to SNAP and food are what we really need ... the country focused on,' Gaskins said. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
