What LGBTQ+ books are at the center of a new Supreme Court case?
What LGBTQ+ books are at the center of a new Supreme Court case?
A Supreme Court case being argued on April 22 is set to determine whether a Maryland school district's reading program, which includes titles featuring LGBTQ+ characters and themes of inclusion, has unconstitutionally infringed on parents' rights to freely exercise their religion under the First Amendment.
Officials from Montgomery County Public Schools ‒ one of the largest and most ethnically diverse districts in the nation ‒ said they introduced a handful of books with LGBTQ+ characters into its elementary school curriculum as part of an effort to better reflect the community.
More: Are cute children's books teaching kids about gender and sexuality? Supreme Court to weigh in
But after initially allowing students to be excused when the books were read in class, officials said they had to end the opt-out requests because of the difficulty managing a high volume of absences. Parents then sued, saying the books are at odds with their religions, which include Islam, Catholicism and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
SCOTUS takes up case on LGBTQ+, inclusive books in schools
Demonstrators on both sides protested as the Supreme Court heard a school district's case on parents' rights and LGBTQ+ books.
What are the controversial books included in the case?
Below are a few of the books singled out in the court filing. The titles were introduced in the district's reading curriculum at the start of the 2022-2023 school year and included themes on LGBTQ+ people and other diverse backgrounds.
A decision in the case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, is expected by the end of June.
Contributing: Maureen Groppe
SOURCES: Court filings
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