Donald Trump’s return to office has dominated the news, but there are other things going on – and some of them are equally concerning.
For example, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that, if it goes the wrong way, could give Christian Nationalists a powerful new weapon to harass public schools.
The case was brought by the Becket Fund on behalf of a group of conservative Muslim and Christian parents in Montgomery County, Md., who are demanding that aspects of the school curriculum be tailored to meet their religious views.
The parents are targeting books that include LGBTQ+ characters or themes. They’re demanding an opt-out whenever such stories are read in classrooms. The county does not mandate that these books be used, although teachers have the option to use them if they choose.
At first thought, an opt-out may seem a reasonable compromise. But it could quickly become unworkable. Some religious groups, for example, believe women should submit to men and might demand opt-outs any time a book is used that shows women in positions of authority. Fundamentalist Christians often object to the teaching of evolution in science classes, but allowing their children to opt out would be impractical. (It would also do a disservice to the kids. Students who haven’t learned modern science will struggle when they attend science classes at secular universities.)
Rather than deal with constant demands for opt-outs, some schools may decide to remove any material that they conclude might offend certain parents. This dumbing down of the curriculum would force all students to live under the religious rules of the minority.
The Supreme Court has drifted far to the right and has been eroding church-state precedents. It’s not a good sign that the court accepted this case, because lower courts sided with the school system, noting that exposure to these books did not stop these families from practicing their respective faiths. The high court might be looking to reverse those rulings, under a misguided interpretation of “religious freedom.”
If the court does so, it’s likely to open the door to chaos in America’s classrooms.
