Montgomery County Ordered To Pay Religious Parents $1.5 Million In School Curriculum Dispute
A heavily Democratic Maryland county has agreed to pay 1.5 million dollars to a group of religious parents who challenged the school board’s policy preventing opt outs from instruction involving books on gender identity and sexuality.
Montgomery County’s Board of Education reached the settlement after the parents secured a 6 to 3 victory at the Supreme Court in 2025. The high court ruled that the county’s opt out restrictions violated the constitutional rights of religious families.
As part of the settlement, the school board must also notify parents in advance of instruction related to family life and human sexuality. The agreement was approved by Judge Deborah Boardman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and was announced by Becket, the nonprofit law firm representing the parents.
Eric Baxter, senior counsel at Becket and lead attorney for the families, said the outcome sends a clear message to school districts nationwide. He stated that overriding parental rights and religious freedom is not only unlawful but carries financial consequences.
The legal fight began in March 2023 when the Montgomery County school board eliminated parental opt outs for certain books that addressed transgender themes and related topics. A coalition of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish parents filed suit in a case known as Mahmoud v. Taylor, arguing that the policy forced their children to receive instruction that conflicted with their religious beliefs.
Writing for the majority in the Supreme Court decision, Justice Samuel Alito said the government burdens religious exercise when it compels parents to submit their children to instruction that poses a very real threat of undermining the beliefs and practices they seek to instill.
One of the parents involved in the case, Catholic father Chris Persak, previously said his faith helped sustain him throughout the lengthy legal battle. He described feeling calm even amid protests and public opposition during the proceedings.
Montgomery County borders Washington, D.C., and has long been considered one of the most politically liberal jurisdictions in the country. The settlement marks a significant victory for parental rights advocates and is likely to influence similar disputes across the nation.