Conservative Justices Lead Majority Opinion
Trump: "Life Is Returning to Normal"
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that parents have the right to opt their children out of classes if books containing LGBTQ-related content are used in elementary school education.
According to Yonhap News, citing the Associated Press on the 28th, the Supreme Court issued this ruling on the 27th (local time), overturning the decision of a lower court.
This decision was led by six conservative justices who formed the majority opinion, while three liberal justices dissented.
The lawsuit originated from certain English-language educational books approved by the Montgomery County Board of Education in Maryland in 2022. Among these, the children's book "Prince & Knight" tells the story of a prince and a knight who fall in love after defeating a dragon. Another book, "Uncle Bobby's Wedding," features a child worrying that her uncle will have less time for her after marrying another man.
Some conservative parent groups have argued that, for religious reasons, they should be allowed to refuse their children's participation in classes that use such books.
The Associated Press reported, "While this ruling is not a final decision, it clearly indicates that the justices see a high likelihood that the parents will ultimately prevail." The report also emphasized that, in recent years, the Supreme Court has consistently taken similar positions on issues related to religious freedom.
President Donald Trump, in a press conference at the White House on the same day, called the ruling "a major victory for parents," stating, "They were losing control over their children in schools, and this decision restores that right."
He added, "Now life is returning to normal," and asserted that the legitimacy of his long-standing emphasis on 'restoring parental rights' had been proven.
Meanwhile, on the same day, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of a Texas law requiring age verification for access to adult websites, allowing the law to take effect. This law mandates that operators of pornography sites implement age verification systems.
Additionally, the Supreme Court ruled to maintain the provision under 'Obamacare' (the Affordable Care Act) requiring insurance companies to provide preventive medical services free of charge. Furthermore, it ordered the continued provision of $8 billion in telecommunications service subsidies for rural and low-income communities.
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