Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart released the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which concerns whether Montgomery County public schools must allow parents to opt their children out of lessons involving LGBTQ+ inclusive literature:
“I am deeply disappointed in today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which limits access to LGBTQ+ inclusive books in public schools. This ruling undermines the hard work that Montgomery County and counties across the nation have taken to promote a culture of respect and inclusivity, where everyone is seen and valued as their true and authentic selves.
Our system of public education provides a place where young people can learn about different beliefs, viewpoints and people that reflect the wonderful diversity that we have in Montgomery County. Our schools need to be places of joy, safety and visibility for all students and their families.
The way to do this is not by stopping or limiting what can be shared or taught. We already see how censorship leads to rewriting history, and othering and demonizing individuals. It is not possible to be a truly inclusive community if we suppress speech that is in no way hateful or detrimental to education.
“LGBTQ+ families exist not only in our community but in our schools. LGBTQ+ parents, whose marriage is a constitutionally protected right, and their families should be seen and reflected in books and school curriculum because representation matters.”