Mahmoud v. Taylor decision response and links.

Mahmoud v. Taylor links HERE.

“Supreme Court will hear case of Maryland parents who object to LGBTQ books in their kids’ classes” AP, Jan. 17, 2025 (image of Supreme Court building)

(Edited Feb. 4, 2025)

On Jan. 17, 2025, we learned that SCOTUS will take up a court case that names 9 LGBTQIA+ picture books, including Love, Violet (Chua, FSG). Dana Rudolph provides thoughtful, thorough background on the case:

Mombian: “Supreme Court to Hear Case on Whether Reading LGBTQ Books in School Requires Parental Opt-Out Option” Jan. 21, 2025

The case concerns whether children can be read stories about LGBTQIA+ characters in public schools without advance notice and the chance for parents to opt their children out. As Rudolph reports, a Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) committee originally selected a set of LGBTQIA+ picture books that teachers could use for language arts lessons, small groups, or options for free reading. The books are not to be used to urge children to change their views. Rather, they were chosen because they portray “joyful stories of folks who happen to be part of the LGBTQ+ community.”

These picture books are designed for young children. They include portrayals of LGBTQIA+ people as part of our human community.

SCOTUS Montgomery CPS Case 2025; SCOTUS building with rainbow cast background, the covers of nine picture books. Full booklist and links in text.

BOOKLIST FROM MONTGOMERY CTY, MD CASE:
Please consider requesting, checking out, purchasing, and/or reviewing these books in support. Thanks!

Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope
IntersectionAllies: We Make Room for All
Jacob’s Room to Choose
Love Violet
My Rainbow
Pride Puppy
Prince & Knight
Uncle Bobby’s Wedding
What are Your Words

To purchase these books and support an independent Black-Asian-Queer-owned bookstore, visit Loyalty Books at Bookshop.org. 

So far, twice the lower courts have ruled that including these books is not a religious burden to families because no one has been hindered from teaching their children their own religions. The plaintiffs offered no evidence of coercion in the classroom or harm to their families’ religious freedom. The books merely represent people already living in this community.

From the headlines, this case may appear to be one of religious freedom, something the Constitution supports, and so do I. Yet this lawsuit requires public shools to block children from access to books that represent one group of people. It labels LGBTQIA+ people and any story about them as dangerous, even when they are young. Establishing these extra barriers will likely pressure teachers to avoid LGBTQIA+ books altogether–affecting students of all beliefs. (In fact, this is already happening in MCPS and around the country.)

This case could result in one of the most wide-spread de facto book bans we’ve seen–and that’s saying something in an era of record book bans not witnessed since the 1950s. (PEN America counted over 10,000 book bans in schools during the 2023-24 school year).

Even if it is not the intention or desire of the plaintiffs, a win for them would likely not only segregate LGBTQIA+ books, but single out LGBTQIA+ children and families for oppression. Every child wants to see themselves and their families represented. Yet if they have to watch their classmates file out first, it signals that their existence, their families, are offensive and dangerous to their peers.

Meanwhile, all young people miss the opportunity to learn respect and empathy. Instead, this models that it’s acceptable to treat LGBTQIA+ people differently. Yet, both mental health and academic outcomes improve for children when inclusive books are provided in schools.

Separate is still not equal. Separate has consequences for everyone.

I absolutely support religious freedom. In fact, my spouse is a military chaplain, whose primary job is ensuring free exercise of religion and freedom from religious oppression. Though sometimes people try to force one religion on others, she works to make sure there is space for everyone, including people whose views she doesn’t share. Most of her colleagues don’t believe women, much less LGBTQIA+ people, should be clergy. She often has very different theology than them. Yet they collaborate as friendly colleagues to serve others.

From left to right: Jeff Ganz, his husband Dennis Williams, Rev. Rachel Cornwell and Shaw Brewer, all members of Bethesda United Methodist Church, MD, with Pride flags and LGBTQ-supportive shirts. Credit: Em Espey, Bethesda, June 6, 2023.

Likewise, kids at school are learning how to hold their own values and identities, and also interact with people outside their home. I’d like to think we all want kids to learn to engage with kindness and respect. And that means understanding who is around you. Public schools can teach about various religions, cultures, and identities – without teaching kids to follow specific beliefs. We should expect schools to teach kindness and respect for ALL of the people in our communities, not simply those in favored groups.

Even if some people don’t believe that being LGBTQIA+ is real–despite our lived experiences and mountains of scientific evidence–it doesn’t change the fact that we exist as their neighbors, at every age. And they are our neighbors. No child can “catch queerness” from a book. But they can catch kindness, even while respecting their own beliefs, whatever they may be.

If parents fought to make sure their children were never exposed to any book about people of one specific race, religion, or disability, for example, this would be obviously inappropriate–a clear violation of our Constitution, which protects both free speech and equality. This kind of segregation of information and stories about specific groups is an attempt to erase those groups. It suggests that simply learning about other people’s lives could be harmful. How does that prepare children to interact with their peers? Or future co-workers?

Even if unintended, this attempted erasure transitions naturally into the idea that it’s okay to target people with inequality, harassment, and abuse–something already happening on the playground, in state legislatures, and from the highest executive office. In Montgomery County, a nonbinary student has already transferred out of the district because of death threats. Anti-LGBTQIA+ violence and harassment is not an abstract possibility. It is our reality. And it starts like this: scaring children about their neighbors. Maybe about themselves.

The Trevor Project 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health

(If you want to know more about the toll of this current moment on LGBTQIA+ kids, spend a few moments with the ongoing research from the Trevor Project. They also provide a crisis line and resources for queer kids and allies.)

Much damage has already been done in this community. Some children have witnessed loud, angry protests about the dangers of queerness. Including LGBTQIA+ children. Including, almost certainly, the closeted queer members of these suing families. (I know a little about that. I was one.) A district employee confided to me that many teachers are already censoring their book choices out of fear. The constitutional freedom of speech and learning is already being damaged.

If this suit prevails, as Robin Stevenson (Pride Puppy!) wisely argues,

“it potentially leads not only to a shadow ban of all queer books, but also to a situation where it is basically impossible for teachers to talk about queer people in the classroom, address bullying, or be inclusive in any way.”

I wrote Love, Violet because I grew up in a world where I wasn’t allowed to see queer people, except as frightening villains. I was taught to believe I couldn’t exist, or that if I did, I was an inhuman monster. The common refrain “Love the sinner, hate the sin” doesn’t fully reflect the harshness of the ways some people are treated. I learned too much about this while volunteering at Thrive Youth Center, an LGBTQ+ shelter for young adults, many of whom were turned out on the streets by their families.

Growing up without empathy for or knowledge about LGBTQIA+ people, I had no idea how to treat those who came out to me. I responded poorly when a close friend was outed. In fact, they had been too scared to be honest with me. And with reason: when they were most vulnerable, I hurt them instead of loving them. I also hurt myself, and the man I first married, by trying to be someone I wasn’t. All that pretending and lying, all those thousands of non-LGBTQIA+ stories didn’t change who I am for a second. But the silence and fear did. They taught me cruelty, despite following a religion based on love. Cruelty that took years to unlearn.

(c) Charlene Chua 2022 FSG, from LOVE, VIOLET: Violet hides behind a pine tree, watching her classmates and crush, Mira.

So, I wrote an innocent story about what being a queer child can feel like. I drew on my own experiences and those of so many former queer kids. I hope that other children will see themselves and their peers without the filter of fear or judgment, or lapsing into rejection that they wrongly believe to be “righteous.”

(c) Charlene Chua 2022 FSG, from LOVE, VIOLET: Violet dreams of adventures with Mira

Honestly, I don’t care what strangers believe about my relationship or identity. That’s their business. My life is my business. But I do care about how we treat each other. That everyone is safe. Respected. I long for everyone to care about this, too. It’s the founding principle of this country, even if we have yet to achieve it.

In a society with such diversity, we are never going to be fully aligned with everyone. Children can hold religious values AND be kind and respectful to others. I would hope religion would encourage more kindness… but, sadly, that has not always been my experience. Likewise, I hope the children of the suing families are treated with kindness and respect, too. It is not lost on me that those of us advocating for the freedom of speech are also fighting for access to books about aspects of their identities, too, which are being censored around the country. We want them represented. Respected. We hope they will want the same for us.

But denying young people the chance to learn about all their neighbors sets them up to make the same mistakes I did. It sets them on a path of prejudice that can easily turn to bullying and injustice. Including toward themselves.

All our kids deserve better. They deserve respect and welcome. They deserve the chance to learn empathy for each other.

Given everything at stake, given the censorship and slashing of constitutional rights sweeping the country, we have to dig deep into hope. The kind of hope that plans. And rests. Then gets to work again. That sends love to the people in our lives. And to those we don’t know. That makes calls and organizes. Gives books. And makes books. And talks to children about accepting and loving our neighbors.

In the end, I believe history will prove that love is right. That kindness is the measure of morality. That our calling every day is to care for each other and ourselves–not to turn away from and oppress each other, even for what appear to be “pure” beliefs.

Love must come first. Even love that pushes us to learn about each other when we’d rather not. Love that refuses to hide people and history and facts. Love must absolutely come first for our kids. Otherwise, what is education, what is democracy, what is religion even for? Without love?

Peace,

Charlotte

(c) Charlene Chua 2022, from Love, Violet: hands holding a valentine for Mira with craft scraps and tools behind it.