A recent ruling by a district court has sparked controversy among parents in the Montgomery County school district.
The court has denied their request to opt out of the district's LGBTQ curriculum, a decision that has been met with significant opposition, particularly from Muslim parents.
The parents had sought an injunction ahead of the school year's commencement on August 28, following a policy change in March that removed their ability to opt their children out of the curriculum. Assisted by the Becket non-profit law firm, the parents launched a lawsuit against the new policy, arguing it infringed upon their First Amendment religious rights to educate their children freely.
However, the court rejected the injunction request on Thursday. The ruling stated, "Because the plaintiffs have not established any of their claims is likely to succeed on the merits, the Court need not address the remaining preliminary injunction factors. Nonetheless, because a constitutional violation is not likely or imminent, it follows that the plaintiffs are not likely to suffer imminent irreparable harm."
This ruling implies that schools can now incorporate teachings on gay pride parades, gender transition, and pronoun preference into their curriculum without notifying parents or allowing them to exclude their children from these lessons.
Eric Baxter, the attorney representing the parents, expressed their intention to appeal the decision. "Today, the district court decided parents have no right to notice when extreme ideology is pushed on their elementary-age children during story hour, Baxter stated on social media. He added, "With the new school year beginning, the case is on the fast track to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the parents plan to appeal the decision."
Baxter highlighted that the LGBTQ curriculum includes instruction about terms such as intersex," drag queens, and non-binary" from pre-K through eighth grade. He concluded, "The school board should let kids be kids and let parents parent. Children are entitled to enjoy a period of innocence and be guided by their own parents on how and when to approach the complex and sensitive issues being pushed by the school board."
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