June 27, 2025
Mahmoud v. Taylor: A Major Victory for Parents’ Rights
Today the Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision for parents’ rights and religious freedom in Mahmoud v. Taylor, siding 6-3 with religious parents who sought to opt their children out of classroom materials that directly contradicted their deeply held faith convictions.
The Case
The Montgomery County (Maryland) School Board included various books in its pre-K and elementary school curriculum promoting LGBTQ+ lifestyles.
What Did The Court Find?
The Court held that the school board’s refusal to provide opt-outs imposed an unconstitutional burden on parents' First Amendment rights—marking a pivotal win for families, faith, and freedom.
What’s The Impact?
This ruling establishes clearly that parents have a right to direct the religious upbringing of their children, which includes the ability to protect their children from instructional material that promotes certain values and beliefs that contradict with their religious values and beliefs. The Court explains that all children are entitled to access public education and that access does not depend on their parents’ “willingness to accept a burden on their religious exercise.” The ruling protects parents from having to decide between either risking their child’s exposure to materials that conflict with their religious beliefs or spending money out of pocket to send their children to private schools. Such a choice places an unconstitutional burden on the religious freedom of parents and exceeds the recognized limits in public schools on government interference with the religious upbringing of a student. .
Does This Impact the America First Agenda?
The results of this case are fully aligned with AFPI’s efforts to protect parental rights. In another case that may be headed for the Supreme Court soon, AFPI represents parents who sued their Colorado school district over its refusal to disclose their students’ “gender identity”—not merely outrageous behavior, but a violation of the 14th Amendment. Parental input should remain central in decisions around students’ identities and educational experiences. The Mahmoud decision reinforces this right.