Court Denies Montgomery Students' Request to Opt Out of LGBTQ Curriculum and Storybooks

A federal judge has denied a request from Montgomery County parents to allow their children to opt out of classroom readings of books featuring LGBTQ characters. Several Muslim and Christian families sued the school district, arguing that the use of these books forces them to either go against their religious beliefs or leave the public school system. The judge ruled that the parents failed to demonstrate that the no-opt-out policy would indoctrinate or coerce their children to violate their religious beliefs. The decision is not final, but the judge indicated that the plaintiffs' claims are unlikely to succeed.