WASHINGTON, DC – American Atheists, a national civil rights organization, condemns today’s Supreme Court decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, agreeing with Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s stark dissent that this decision “threatens the very essence of public education.”
The case was brought by a group of Maryland parents who claimed their children should be permitted to “opt out” of reading storybooks featuring LGBTQ+ characters. The plaintiffs claimed these books violated their religious beliefs. In granting parents the broad ability to opt their children out of public school curricula they deem to be objectionable, the conservative justices not only distort the principle of religious freedom but also jeopardize both the ability of schools to serve students and the ability of students to engage with diverse perspectives that are essential in America’s pluralistic society.
In April, American Atheists filed an amicus brief in the case, which was joined by the Secular Student Alliance and the Secular Coalition for America. The brief argued that requiring schools and teachers to pre-clear every lesson with every parent for every possible religious objection would be infeasible and antithetical to decades of legal precedent. In her dissent, Justice Sotomayor agreed, “The result will be chaos for this Nation’s public schools… The harm will not be borne by educators alone: Children will suffer too. Classroom disruptions and absences may well inflict long-lasting harm on students’ learning and development.”
At a time when classroom censorship and book bans are increasingly prevalent, American Atheists warns today’s ruling will serve as fodder for the far-religious-right’s nationwide campaign to restrict students’ access to inclusive and informative materials. Approximately 90% of kids and teens in the United States attend public schools, and an abundance of research has demonstrated the benefits of multicultural education and culturally responsive practices.
Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Legal Director for American Atheists cautioned, “We have two legal systems in this country now. Atheists challenging a 40-foot Christian cross owned and maintained by the government at a major thoroughfare are told “tough luck,” and the Supreme Court says it’s a secular symbol. A high school football coach abusing his authority to force his religion on players? The Court finds he’s just engaging in free speech. But when religious parents object to their children merely being exposed to any idea that conflicts with their beliefs, this Court will tear down our entire public school system to protect their feelings.”
As an organization that envisions a pluralistic society where all people can participate fully without fear, American Atheists is gravely concerned about the implications of Mahmoud v. Taylor for free speech, religious freedom, and the rights of students to access information and literature that represents the full breadth of American pluralism and a diversity of perspectives. Since its founding in 1963, American Atheists has argued freethought is foundational to democracy, and the targeted erasure of certain, nonconforming viewpoints in schools is a dangerous step toward silencing the voices of already-marginalized and -maligned communities.
“A dangerous precedent has been established today, one that will censor free thought, chill free speech, and fuel the rise of authoritarian policies seeking not just to shelter kids from diverse perspectives but to impose a specific and narrow perspective on us all,” said Nick Fish, President of American Atheists. “But true religious freedom is about tolerance, not erasure. True freedom of thought is about a pluralistic marketplace of ideas, not a monopoly on indoctrination.”
Mr. Fish continued, “Today, it’s LGBTQ+ people being targeted for erasure. Tomorrow, it will inevitably be any experience, identity, affiliation, history, or viewpoint that doesn’t fit Christian Nationalists’ narrow definition of an American: white, heterosexual, cisgender, and a very specific kind of Christian. We must work together to protect our freedom of thought and expression and ensure public schools remain a safe space where all of America’s students can see themselves represented and respectfully, empathetically engage with the full breadth of our nation’s perspectives.”
