How the Supreme Court could respect religious families without undermining public education

As the Supreme Court prepares to rule in Mahmoud v. Taylor, the national conversation is charged. Some see the case as an attack on inclusive education. Others view it as a necessary defense of religious liberty in the public school system. But the truth, as is often the case, lies somewhere in the middle. If the justices are careful, they can craft a decision that affirms constitutional protections without unleashing the chaos that some fear.

At the heart of the case are several families in Montgomery County, Maryland, who object to new curricular materials introduced in elementary schools. These include picture books that celebrate same-sex marriage and gender identity exploration. The parents — primarily from Muslim and Ethiopian Orthodox communities — asked for the right to opt their children out of these lessons. The school district denied those requests and ended its longstanding opt-out policy.