On June 27, 2025, the United States Supreme Court issued a landmark decision reaffirming that parents have a constitutional right to control the religious upbringing of their children, even when their children attend a public school. In Mahmoud v. Taylor, the Court ruled that the Montgomery County School District in Maryland violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment by revoking parents’ ability to opt their children out of reading books with LGBTQ+ themes that conflicted with their religious beliefs.
The Court emphasized that parental rights do not end at the schoolhouse gate. The ruling establishes a nationwide requirement: when public schools include instructional materials on controversial topics such as gender identity, they must accommodate families with sincere religious objections by offering and respecting an opt-out right to parents.
This decision has immediate implications for parents across the country as they prepare for the 2025-2026 school year. Parents should know their rights and take proactive steps to protect them. WILL offers a parental opt-out form, a template notice letter for teachers to inform families, and a model school board policy that parents can share with their local board to ensure schools comply with the ruling and respect religious liberty.
Why was this case brought?
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