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WASHINGTON (AP) — In an imaginative tale, a prince manages to rescue a knight from peril by lassoing a dragon, displaying a heroic act that ultimately leads to an unexpected bond between the two men. As the prince loses his grip and begins to fall, it is the knight, alongside his horse, who leaps into action to save him.
This narrative about love and bravery is central to “Prince and Knight,” one of five children’s books with LGBTQ themes designed for students from kindergarten through fifth grade. The presence of these titles has sparked considerable debate within a diverse suburban Maryland school district and has now escalated to a Supreme Court case set for oral arguments on Tuesday.
In Montgomery County, some parents express their discontent primarily for religious reasons, seeking to remove their children from classes where these books are included in the curriculum.
The local school district has maintained its stance on keeping the books in the curriculum, with lower court decisions aligning with this view so far. Nonetheless, the ruling may pivot given the conservative majority in the Supreme Court, which has shown support for religious discrimination cases in recent years.
Advocates for the parents argue that the educational system should not compel children to engage in lessons that contradict their beliefs. They reference existing opt-out options available in sex education and highlight that the district initially allowed parents to withdraw their children during the reading of these books but later reversed this allowance.
Billy Moges, a member of the parents’ group Kids First, criticized the program: “It’s categorized under language arts, but the topics addressed are heavily sexual in nature. This kind of content is confusing for children, and many parents prefer to shield their kids from these discussions at such an impressionable age.”
Many parents voiced their concerns in school board meetings, sharing personal stories that reflect their religious duty to protect young minds from views on gender and sexuality that conflict with their faith.
Moges has opted to withdraw her three daughters—ages 10, 8, and 6—from public schooling, initially choosing homeschooling and now enrolling them in a private Christian institution.
While the school district has refrained from public comments due to the ongoing litigation, legal representatives for the district have described the storybooks as not being sex-education material; rather, they depict relatable adventures and emotional challenges faced by the characters, akin to tales like Snow White or Cinderella.
Among the featured titles, “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” portrays the emotional struggles of a niece concerned about losing time with her uncle after his marriage to a man. “Love, Violet” addresses a girl’s nervousness about giving a valentine to another girl, while “Born Ready” tells the story of a transgender boy’s journey to share his gender identity. “Intersection Allies” presents a diverse cast of characters, including a gender-fluid individual.
The selection of these books was intended to foster representation of all families within Montgomery County, and school officials assert that they do not aim to coerce students into changing their religious views.
The decision to eliminate the option for parents to opt their children out of these lessons stemmed from the realization that accommodating such requests became overwhelmingly disruptive, according to the district’s lawyers.
The authors’ organization, Pen America, which has documented over 10,000 book bans in the previous school year, indicated in a legal filing that the parents’ objectives could lead to what could be viewed as a problematic book ban.
Tasslyn Magnusson, a senior advisor with the Freedom to Read initiative at PEN America, pointed out that accommodating alternative lessons for some students whenever these books are utilized may force the district to ultimately withdraw them from curriculum altogether.
“I genuinely hope people take the time to read these books. They are wonderful depictions of the experiences children encounter within educational settings and are entirely appropriate for inclusion in a school curriculum,” Magnusson stated.
One book that faced removal from the curriculum—without clear reasoning—is “My Rainbow,” co-authored by Delaware state Representative DeShanna Neal and her daughter Trinity.
This narrative depicts Trinity’s longing for long hair as a transgender girl, with her mother crafting a rainbow wig to fulfill her wish.
Neal has become accustomed to observing her book being withdrawn from libraries across various states, including Florida, Ohio, and Texas.
“Schools represent a space for learning about the variations in the world,” Neal expressed. “I aimed for this book to encourage parents to listen to their children. They are the best experts on their own identities.”
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