[tomder55]

That would be in Maryland Montgomery County Public School parents don't want the woke LGBTQ++xyz agenda shoved down their children's throats . But a Clueless Joe appointed judge decided that the school district knows better how to raise their kids .

2023-08-24-59-Opinion-and-Order.pdf (becketnewsite.s3.amazonaws.com)

The judge unbelievably concluded that parent’s do not have the right to opt out of a public school curriculum that conflicts with their religious views.
Who were the concerned parents ? The majority of them were a coalition of Muslim and Ethiopian Christians .

The district had decided that children as young as pre-kindergarten would read or have read to them books such as

We Make Room for All

Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope

Rainbow Revolutionaries: Fifty LGBTQ+ People Who Made History

The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets

Pride Puppy

The last one is a book aimed at kids age 4-6 . It requires the student to search for images from a word list that includes intersex, drag queen, underwear, leather, and the name Marsha P. Johnson, a trans activist and sex worker.

This queer-centric alphabet book follows a young light-brown–skinned protagonist of ambiguous gender, their moms (an interracial couple), baby sibling, and rambunctious dog as they get ready to head off to a Pride parade. Disaster looms, however, when a tumble leads to a loose dog and a chase through the parade to reunite the four-legged member of the family with its bipedal owners. Each page introduces the next letter of the alphabet, advancing the story and along the way offering a plethora of vocabulary words (sometimes in print, sometimes in illustrations—a concluding search-and-find word list will send readers back through the book). While the story is sweet, the illustrations are the real stars of the show, depicting realistic characters and a crowd that is diverse in age, skin tone, racial presentation, size and shape, ability, and body modification. The cartoon illustrations are highly detailed, which may make the book challenging for large-group storytimes, but it will keep lap-readers invested as they pore over the characters, designs, and background actions. The only thing missing is a flag identification guide to help caregivers identify the variety of identities found and supported within the book. That quibble aside, the book is sheer delight and will be a welcome addition to shelves everywhere.

PRIDE PUPPY! | Kirkus Reviews

Clearly a book that a devout religious person of Muslim or Christian faith would NOT want their children taught.

Now the Maryland school laws have an opt-out policy that the parents thought they could use.

(e) Student Opt-Out.
(i) The local school system shall establish policies, guidelines, and/or procedures for student opt-out regarding instruction related to family life and human sexuality objectives.
(ii) For students opting out of family life and human sexuality instruction, each school shall establish a procedure for providing a student with appropriate alternative learning activities and/or assessments in health education.
(iii) Each school shall make arrangements to permit students opting out of the objectives related to family life and human sexuality to receive instruction concerning menstruation.
(iv) The local school system shall provide an opportunity for parents/guardians to view instructional materials to be used in the teaching of family life and human sexuality objectives.
(f) The local school system shall provide age-appropriate instruction on the meaning of “consent” and respect for personal boundaries as part of the family life and human sexuality curriculum in every grade in which the curriculum is taught.
(g) When teaching concepts and skills related to family life and human sexuality, in addition to general teacher preparation, teachers are required to have additional preparation in content and teaching methods of such depth and duration as to be appropriate for the material taught. The additional preparation may be provided by college courses, local in-service programs, and/or State workshops.

Sec. 13a.04.18.01. Comprehensive Health Education Instructional Programs for Grades Prekindergarten—12, Chapter 13A.04.18. Program in Comprehensive Health Education, Subtitle 04. SPECIFIC SUBJECTS, Title 13A. Maryland State Board of Education, Code of Maryland Regulations (elaws.us)

But when the parents opted to utilize the law ; the school district unilaterally terminated the policy.

MCPS revises policy on reading LGBTQ+ inclusive books in school (moco360.media)

The district just said the books fall in their English arts curriculum rather than in sex ed .

Parents organized to oppose this .At a minimum they wanted the opt-out restored .

Family Rights for Religious Freedom (frrfusa.org)

Judge Deborah L. Boardman concluded that the parents' "asserted due process right to direct their children's upbringing by opting out of a public-school curriculum that conflicts with their religious views is not a fundamental right."

The lawyer for the plaintiffs replied

"The court’s decision is an assault on children’s right to be guided by their parents on complex and sensitive issues regarding human sexuality. The School Board should let kids be kids and let parents decide how and when to best educate their own children consistent with their religious beliefs"

Judge denies motion for MCPS families to opt kids out of curriculum involving LGBTQ+ books – NBC4 Washington (nbcwashington.com)

[jlisenbe]

I wonder how much longer people will put up with this. It's time for churches to step up and start private Christian academies.

[Wondergirl]

I wonder how much longer people will put up with this. It's time for churches to step up and start private Christian academies.

Churches have been stepping up since forever! Long-established Christian grade schools and even high schools can be found in many towns throughout the U.S. My town has at least three Christian grade schools (and also a Muslim school, pre-K thru grade 12) with Christian high schools in nearby towns.

[jlisenbe]

Yes, I'm aware of that. I started my teaching career in a private Christian academy about forty years ago, but the problem is that the tuition is usually rather high, and so many Christian families cannot afford it. What I had in mind was a school which was subsidized by the church to allow for tuition to be at affordable levels. In our county of 80,000, there are, as far as I know, 2 Christian schools, and both are far from being affordable for many families.

[Wondergirl]

Yes, I'm aware of that. I started my teaching career in a private Christian academy about forty years ago, but the problem is that the tuition is usually rather high, and so many Christian families cannot afford it. What I had in mind was a school which was subsidized by the church to allow for tuition to be at affordable levels. In our county of 80,000, there are, as far as I know, 2 Christian schools, and both are far from being affordable for many families.

The Christian schools I've been associated with, as both parent and teacher, knock themselves out to make an excellent education -- and Christian education -- affordable for any family sending a child/children there.

[jlisenbe]

I'm happy to hear it. What is their current tuition?

[Wondergirl]

I'm happy to hear it. What is their current tuition?

It varies, depending on ability to pay.

[jlisenbe]

It varies from what to what?

What do they pay their teachers?

[Wondergirl]

It varies from what to what?

Varies depending on family income, expenses, etc.

What do they pay their teachers?

I have no idea. In 1967, I was paid $300/month for teaching a roomful of 3rd and 4th graders.

[jlisenbe]

Varies from WHAT to WHAT?? If you don't know, then just say so.

[Wondergirl]

Varies from WHAT to WHAT?? If you don't know, then just say so.

I done tole you.

[jlisenbe]

I done tole you.

Sure you did.

[Wondergirl]

Sure you did.

"Varies depending on family income, expenses, etc."

[jlisenbe]

For the third time, varies from WHAT to WHAT??? Dollars and cents.

[tomder55]

school choice. Let parents take a voucher to whichever school they want their kids to attend.

[jlisenbe]

I think that can be a winning idea, but the devil will be in the details. For instance, for a school to receive voucher funds, will they be required to provide special ed services?

[tomder55]

I don't know how it works other places . When I was a parent in NY the public system supported such programs like special ed and even busing. But parents were not given vouchers and the school tax portion of property taxes was HUGE

[jlisenbe]

I'm not sure how it works elsewhere either, but it's an idea whose time has come.

I'm not sure how it works elsewhere either, but it's an idea whose time has come.

[Wondergirl]

I'm not sure how it works elsewhere either, but it's an idea whose time has come.

I'm not sure how it works elsewhere either, but it's an idea whose time has come.

Repetition is a great idea since we're old folks who read this site.

[jlisenbe]

Yeah. Not too sure how I managed to do that, but I was too lazy to change it. Oh well.