• Parents with children enrolled at a Maryland school district were outraged after the district announced that it would not allow students to opt out of gender identity lessons.
• In a March 23 email, the Montgomery County Public Schools informed parents that it would no longer notify them about gender identity lessons. In an effort to promote an “inclusive environment,” the district also stated that children could not be opted out of the curriculum.
• “MCPS expects all classrooms to be inclusive and safe spaces for students, including those who identify as LGBTQ+ or have family members in the LGBTQ+ community,” the district stated. “A broad representation of personal characteristics within curricular or instructional materials promotes this desired outcome. Therefore, as with all curriculum resources, there is an expectation that teachers utilize these inclusive lessons and texts with all students.”

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