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In 2022, the public school board in Montgomery County, Maryland — a suburban area bordering Washington, D.C. — adopted a selection of “LGBTQ-inclusive” storybooks to use in its public-school classrooms. The books, some geared toward early elementary-school children, included examples of same-sex characters and points of view with titles such as “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” “Prince & Knight,” “Intersection Allies” and “Born Ready.” Upon their introduction, some Montgomery County parents asked that the schools allow their children to opt out of instruction using the books because same-sex marriage and other included material conflicted with their religious beliefs. Although the school initially…
