The U.S. Supreme Court has just delivered a devastating blow to LGBTQ+ inclusion in classrooms. In a 6-3 decision, the conservative majority ruled that parents who object to books featuring queer characters must be allowed to opt their children out of those lessons – even when there's no evidence these books were being taught in any harmful way.
This ruling sends a terrifying message to queer children and their families: that their identities are dangerous, controversial, and something to be hidden. If we don't act now, this decision will pressure already-overworked public schools to avoid LGBTQ+ books altogether – because lawsuits are expensive, and many public schools won't be able to take the risk.
Sign the petition to demand that Democrats in Congress fight back with new legislation to support public schools and protect LGBTQ+ inclusion!
The audacity of issuing this ruling at the end of Pride Month only adds to the insult. Thanks to this ruling, schools may soon need to notify parents in advance for any book that dares to show a same-sex couple living happily ever after. The burden this places on teachers and administrators is impossible – and it only increases the likelihood that schools will preemptively censor LGBTQ+ materials.
Right-wing legal groups are already salivating at the opportunity to sue schools under the guise of religious freedom. The result? Fewer books, fewer queer stories, and a louder message to LGBTQ+ students that their existence is something to be debated or erased.
But it doesn't have to be this way. Democrats in Congress could introduce new legislation that helps public schools push back against these harmful lawsuits modeled on Senator Cory Booker's Fight Book Bans Act, which would have helped districts cover legal fees and other costs related to defending inclusive education.
Sign now to tell Congress: Queer students deserve stories, safety, and support – not erasure. Demand legislation that defends schools and protects LGBTQ+ inclusion!
