Justice Samuel Alito questions attorneys during Oral Arguments for Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case involving LGBTQ+ books in schools.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:01You've made a very broad argument here at times, and it might be good, it might not
00:08be good, but let's focus on what's actually at issue in this particular case.
00:15What are the ages of the children who are involved here?
00:19These books were approved for pre-K, which in Montgomery County can start as early as
00:22three if they're going to turn four that fall.
00:25And it goes up to what?
00:26The books that we've all talked about go through grade six.
00:31All right, so you're talking about children maybe in the age of five to 11 or four to 11.
00:37Now, would you agree that at a certain age, students are capable of understanding this
00:46point, which probably is not a point that can be understood by a four- or five-year-old,
00:51and that is that my teacher, who was generally telling me that certain things are right and
00:58that certain things are wrong, isn't necessarily going to be correct on everything.
01:06It is possible for me to disagree with him or her on certain subjects.
01:12Would you agree that there comes a point when a student is able to make that distinction?
01:17That's right, and many of our clients' objections would be diminished as their children got older.
01:21But here we're in a situation where Montgomery County's own principals objected that these
01:25books were inappropriate for the age, that they were dismissive of religion and shaming
01:29toward children who disagree.
01:30The board itself withdrew two of the books for what it said were content concerns because
01:34it finally agreed that what parents and its own principals were saying was accurate.
01:40Yeah, and one final factor that may distinguish this particular case from some of the others
01:45that you have been asked to express a view about, and you did touch on this, is the fact
01:51that it concerns sex and gender, and that the Maryland legislature itself has recognized
01:58these subjects raise special concerns and is provided for an opt-out from the health classes
02:04where these matters are discussed.
02:06That's right, and currently in Montgomery County, you can opt-out from the very same instruction
02:10during health class, but then you're required to stay during story time.