Advocacy
New Resource: What Mahmoud v. Taylor Means for Public Schools
The National Women’s Law Center, with the support from Interfaith Alliance and other partners, has released a new resource on the U.S. Supreme Court’s harmful decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor. The Court’s June 27, 2025 ruling seriously endangers students’ access to safe and inclusive public education by holding that a school district’s decision to not allow parents to opt their children out of storybooks featuring LGBTQ+ people conflicted with their free exercise rights.
Far-right extremists are already trying to over-interpret this decision, wrongly suggesting it requires schools to censor inclusive content or limit protections against harassment and discrimination. This is not what the court decided.
This resource makes clear what the decision does and does not do. It includes talking points and a template letter to help parents, educators, advocates, and faith leaders push back against misuse of the decision and ensure schools continue upholding their legal and ethical obligation to provide safe, inclusive education for all students.
