The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 on 27 June that public-school parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, may withdraw their elementary-age children from lessons that feature LGBTQ-themed storybooks when the material conflicts with their religious beliefs. The decision reverses lower-court rulings and grants the families a preliminary injunction while litigation continues, signaling that they are likely to prevail on constitutional grounds. The dispute, Mahmoud v. Taylor, arose after the county school board in 2023 stopped giving advance notice and eliminated an opt-out policy for readings of new “LGBTQ-inclusive” titles, including “Prince & Knight” and “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding.” Muslim, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox parents argued that the policy forced their children to participate in instruction that violated tenets of their faith. Writing for the conservative majority, Justice Samuel Alito said requiring attendance at such lessons "poses a very real threat of undermining" parental efforts to pass on religious teachings, and therefore "burdens the free exercise" protected by the First Amendment. The Court ordered the district to notify families before the books are used and to excuse children whose parents object. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented, warning the ruling could open the door to broad opt-outs that create "chaos" in public education. Montgomery County officials said they are reviewing the decision, which they called a challenge to inclusive curriculum, while attorneys for the parents hailed a "historic victory" for religious liberty. The ruling continues a series of high-court decisions expanding protections for religious expression in schools and is expected to prompt districts nationwide to reassess how they balance diversity initiatives with parental rights.