Ethics

School Wins Court Battle Over Pro-Gay Books

By Ed Brayton

The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals handed down an important and very controversial ruling this past Thursday (see full text here), siding with the school district in a case involving the question of whether parents have a right to have schools not teach things that are contrary to their religious faith.

In the case of Parker et al v. Hurley et al, two sets of parents of elementary school children in public schools in Lexigton, MA, filed suit against the school district over their use of books that portrayed gay couples and families. The parents, who believe that homosexuality and gay marriage are morally wrong, argued that they should be given prior notice and the right to exempt their children from any material that they consider contrary to their religious views. The district court dismissed the case; the appeals court upheld that dismissal last week.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on February 07, 2008 (boomark / email).