Equality California Condemns Dangerous Supreme Court Ruling that Enables LGBTQ+ Book Bans in Public Schools

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Equality California released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang in response to the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor, which challenged a Maryland public school district's "no opt out" policy concerning LGBTQ+ inclusive books as part of its English and Language Arts curriculum:

"Donald Trump's Supreme Court has issued another ruling that further marginalizes LGBTQ+ people and their lived experience. This time, in a 6-3 decision, the Court determined that parents likely have the right to refuse to allow their children to be present when certain lessons are taught or books are read, simply because they contain LGBTQ+ themes or characters.

Today's ruling sets a dangerous precedent that leads to a slippery slope of what curriculum or instructional materials can be opted out of, and calls into question what can be introduced to our classrooms in the first place.

While religious liberty is fundamentally important, it should not force public schools to exempt students from lessons that don't align with their families' personal religious or cultural beliefs. LGBTQ+ themed books are already among the most banned and challenged in school districts and libraries across the country. Today's decision will make it even harder for these books to find their way into the hands of students who simply want to read - and who may find validation and acceptance in the process.

In a disturbing signal for future cases concerning LGBTQ+ people, the majority opinion written by Justice Alito contained deeply bigoted and hateful language questioning the legitimacy of same-sex marriage and the very existence of transgender people. It is shameful that six Justices of the Supreme Court seemingly agree."

California is a leader in inclusive curriculum; in fact, the laws in our state prevent school districts and libraries from enacting book bans and require school curricula to recognize the roles and contributions of LGBTQ+ people. Equality California is proud to have contributed to that work and will continue to fight for unrestricted, fair access to diverse and inclusive instructional materials and literature.

Multitudes of research from the American Psychological Association (APA) show that LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum reduces instances of bullying and harassment, improves the mental health of LGBTQ+ students, and expands the minds and opens the hearts of their peers.

The case, brought by longtime anti-LGBTQ+ extremists at Becket - formerly the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty - originated in Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, who integrated nine inclusive picture books telling stories of LGBTQ+ people and families into their curriculum. These books went through the same rigorous review process as any other book and were approved by the district's content supervisor. After opt-out requests became numerous and diverted time and resources from classroom management, the district informed parents no more opt-outs would be permitted - leading to multiple lawsuits and now a disastrous Supreme Court decision.

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