The U.S. Supreme Court will not be taking up a legal challenge to the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) system’s policy on gender identity first drafted in the 2020-2021 school year.
A group of Montgomery County parents and their attorneys argued that the school system’s adoption of what it called a “gender support plan” violated parents’ 14th Amendment rights.
The MCPS policy allows for what the school system terms a “student-centered” approach if and when a student decides they want to change their gender identity, including a change of name and pronouns. The school system policy includes a provision for student privacy “and recognizing that providing support for a student is critical, even when the family is nonsupportive,” according to the latest draft on the school system’s website.
The parents who challenged the school system called it a “parental preclusion policy” in their petition to the Supreme Court and asserted that the school system’s action violates the parents’ “fundamental rights to direct the care and upbringing of their children.”
In a statement on the Supreme Court’s decision, Christie Scott, coordinator of communications for the Board of Education, wrote, “The Board is pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court declined the challenge to MCPS’ Gender Identity Guidelines. This decision ensures we can continue to provide a safe, welcoming learning environment where all students feel accepted.”
It’s the second legal ruling on MCPS policy in May. Last week, a federal appeals court refused to block the school system’s policy that bars parents from opting out of LGBTQ+ storybooks used in the language arts curriculum in elementary schools.
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