“A classroom environment that is welcoming to all students is something to be commended, but such an environment cannot be achieved through hostility toward the religious beliefs of students and their parents.” -From US Supreme Court ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor
We recently, told you about Mahmoud v. Taylor, the US Supreme Court case brought by Montgomery County, MD parents who had been denied an opportunity to opt their children out of LGBTQ storybook lessons in their local elementary schools.
Alaska Family Council had been watching this case for months because we knew that many AK parents had faced a similar situation in their own schools and that, for better or for worse, what happened in Mahmoud would have ripple effects here in the Great Land. Who would ultimately have the court on their side – the parents, or the school?
In June, we got the good news – SCOTUS decided on behalf of the parents!
The highest court in the land recognized the fundamental constitutional right of parents to direct the religious upbringing of their children – even while attending public school. They agreed with the plaintiff parents that forcing children to read books promoting ideas about gender and sexuality at odds with their family’s religious beliefs was a violation of that right.
As part of our mission to protect parental rights, Alaska Family Council is providing an opt-out form that parents of faith with objections to the LGBTQIA agenda can now use to opt their children out of sex ed, instructional activities and programs covering issues of sexual orientation or gender identity, surveys, and name/pronoun changes related to social transition.
Please share this important resource far and wide to those you know with children in Alaska public schools. In addition, in 2023, Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor sent a memo to all Alaska school districts clarifying that parents have the right to be informed at least two weeks in advance when this kind of material is presented to students and that they have the authority to opt their children out of such instruction. Please share this resource to those you think might be interested including your local school officials so they can be informed as well.
Mom and Dad, we recommend that you submit this opt out letter on the first day of school. Submit the letter by email to your child’s teacher and building principal, and request confirmation so you know they received it. Keep a friendly and open dialogue with your child’s teacher so that if there are any questions about a specific issue that comes up, you can resolve them.
If at any point during the school year your child’s school does not respect your rights, or if you aren’t sure if your rights are being properly respected, Alaska Family Council wants to hear from you! We stand ready to help parents ensure that their rights under Mahmoud and state law are protected.
Call 907.317.7268 with any questions or concerns or email me directly at jim@akfamily.org