Maryland School District Agrees to Pay Parents $1.5 Million, Allow Opt-Outs for LGBT Books

Calvin Freiburger : Feb 25, 2026
LifeSiteNews.com

"It took tremendous courage for these parents to stand up to the School Board and take their case all the way to the Supreme Court. Their victory reshaped the law and ensured that generations of religious parents will be able to guide their children's upbringing according to their faith." -Becket's Eric Baxter, lead attorney in the case

[LifeSiteNews.com] Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has agreed to pay parents after $1.5 million to settle their lawsuit after the US Supreme Court rebuked the school district or attempting to force children to read LGBT indoctrination materials. (Image: Created by Grok AI)

As covered last June by LifeSiteNews, Mahmoud v. Taylor concerned MCPS mandating a list of LGBT reading materials for children in kindergarten through fifth grade, including "Prince and Knight," a fairytale about a male knight and a prince who get "married," a book on 50 "LGBTQ+" historical figures titled "Rainbow Revolutionaries"—including accused child abuser Harvey Milk—and the pro-transgender book "Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope."

The district initially allowed parents to opt out but soon reversed itself in the name of fostering "inclusive and safe spaces for students." The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the parents' request for a preliminary injunction while their lawsuit proceeded, prompting an appeal to the nation's highest court.

SCOTUS ruled 6-3 in favor of parental rights, in a majority opinion written by conservative Justice Samuel Alito that the parents were entitled to a preliminary injunction against forcing their children to partake in the books, agreeing they were "likely to succeed on the merits; they are likely to suffer irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary relief; the balance of equities tips in their favor; and an injunction would be in the public interest."

"A government burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses ‘a very real threat of undermining' the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill," Alito wrote. "And a government cannot condition the benefit of free public education on parents' acceptance of such instruction."

On February 20, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty announced that a settlement has finally been reached in the case, under which MCPS has agreed to give parents advance notice of materials pertaining to "family life and human sexuality," allow parents to opt out their children, and pay $1.5 million in damages to the parents... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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