US Supreme Court to hear Ukrainian believer’s complaint about LGBT books

A children's book about LGBT. Photo: Bukvy

The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear a complaint from a group of parents who are seeking to exempt their children from lessons involving LGBT-themed books, which they claim contradict their religious beliefs. Among the plaintiffs is Orthodox Christian Svitlana Roman from Ukraine, reports Reuters.

The lawsuit followed a decision by the Montgomery County Board of Education to remove the option for parents to opt out of lessons involving books with LGBT characters, as well as the requirement to inform parents about reading those books in school. These works were included in the 2022-2023 language arts curriculum. Among them is the book “Pride Puppy”, which tells the story of a dog lost during an LGBT march, and “Jacob's Room to Choose”, which features two transgender schoolchildren.

Some parents requested that their children be exempt from reading or discussing these books, citing religious beliefs. However, in March 2023, the school district stated that it would not allow any opt-out requests "for any reason".

This prompted protests in the community, with over a thousand parents signing a petition demanding the restoration of their right to opt out of lessons involving these books. Three pairs of parents filed a lawsuit against the Board of Education, claiming their religious rights were violated. Among them are Muslims Tamer Mahmoud and Enas Barakat, Roman Catholics Kris and Melissa Persak, as well as Catholic Jeff and Orthodox Christian Svitlana Roman, whose son attends elementary school.

The federal district court dismissed the lawsuit, and this decision was upheld by the Court of Appeals. Nevertheless, the parents have appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that they are being forced to abandon their right to provide religious education to their children in public schools.

The Supreme Court has agreed to take up the case, but it remains unclear whether a decision will be made before the summer recess or after it is over.

As reported by the UOJ, Trump commented on a bishop’s call for showing mercy upon gay children.

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