FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2025

Contact: Court Beyer, cbeyer@americanhumanist.org

WASHINGTON – The following is a statement from American Humanist Association Executive Director Fish Stark in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor:

“This decision is a betrayal of public school students across the country and their right to safe, welcoming schools. Today, the Court ruled that parents have a constitutional right to prevent their kids from learning that LGBTQ+ people exist, can get married, and can be proud of who they are. LGBTQ+ kids are owed the same dignity and inclusion in the classroom that their peers are, but this move sends a message to queer kids and their families that can’t be unheard: your existence is indoctrination, and not worthy of respect.

“These opt-outs harm not only the students whose identities are marginalized, but the rest of the classroom as well. By not exposing children to diverse perspectives in curriculum, we are failing to prepare the next generation to be in relation with people who are different from them. And that is not acceptable.

“We should be teaching our kids how to think, not what to think. This ruling means that a small group of vocal parents will make curriculum decisions that would typically be left to a democratically-elected school board, making this decision not just an attack on LGBTQ+ students, but on our public schools and their role in our society more broadly.”

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The American Humanist Association (AHA) works to protect the rights of humanists, atheists, and other nontheistic Americans. The AHA advances the ethical and life-affirming worldview of humanism, which—without beliefs in gods or other supernatural forces—encourages individuals to live informed and meaningful lives that aspire to the greater good of humanity.