Montgomery County forced to pay religious families $1.5 million after Supreme Court ruling for parents’ rights

WASHINGTON – The Montgomery County, Maryland, Board of Education must pay $1.5 million in damages to Becket’s clients and comply with court-enforced protections for parental rights following the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor. The case arose after the School Board took away parental notice and opt-outs for storybooks that promote gender transitioning, Pride parades, and pronoun preferences to children as young as three and four (Watch this podcast episode to learn more).Becket represented a diverse coalition of religious parents including Muslims, Christians, and Jews, who successfully challenged the policy at the Supreme Court.

Religious parents sued the Montgomery County Board of Education. (Courtesy Becket)
(Courtesy Becket)

In the Court’s 6-3 ruling last summer, Justice Alito—writing for the majority—said that “the right of parents ‘to direct the religious upbringing of their’ children would be an empty promise if it did not follow those children into the public school classroom.” He went on to say that the Court “cannot agree” with lower courts that have ruled otherwise for over fifty years.

The Supreme Court’s decision was met with broad public agreement. New data from Becket’s 2025 Religious Freedom Index shows that 62% of Americans support the Court’s ruling.

“Public schools nationwide are on notice: running roughshod over parental rights and religious freedom isn’t just illegal—it’s costly,”said Eric Baxter, senior counsel at Becket and lead attorney for the parents. “This settlement enforces the Supreme Court’s ruling and ensures parents, not government bureaucrats, have the final say in how their children are raised.”

Under the settlement and permanent injunction, the Montgomery County Board of Education must provide parents with advance notice when instructional materials addressing family life and human sexuality will be used and allow parents to opt their children out of that instruction. The agreement also requires the Board to pay damages to the families and places the district under ongoing court jurisdiction to ensure compliance.

“It took tremendous courage for these parents to stand up to the School Board and take their case all the way to the Supreme Court,” said Baxter. “Their victory reshaped the law and ensured that generations of religious parents will be able to guide their children’s upbringing according to their faith.”

 

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