A demonstration in Montgomery County drew several hundred people who believe students should be able to opt out of reading books that feature LGBTQ characters.
The books that feature LGBTQ characters are a part of a supplemental curriculum the school system launched this academic year. It adds titles for every grade level, including kindergarten to fifth grade, where the curriculum has been the most controversial. A few months ago, a handful of parents had spoken at board meetings about the issue, but the demonstrations have expanded to hundreds.
Montgomery County school officials said that Maryland state law does not permit parents to opt their children out of certain lessons, except for a specific unit on sexuality and family life in the health education curriculum. He said he first learned about the push for an opt-out approach to teaching books with LGBTQ and gender-identity themes in March at his church, the Re’ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in D.C. Darge said he knows parents from around Maryland, the District and Virginia who came out on Tuesday to support families like his. Darge said he imagines protests will keep growing if the school board stands its ground.
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