EAST LANSING, Mich. — A U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing parents to opt children out of LGBTQ-related lessons could significantly impact what's taught in Mid-Michigan classrooms.
- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that parents can opt their children out of lessons involving LGBTQ books.
- A Michigan State University legal expert believes the ruling could lead schools to remove potentially controversial content from curricula.
- The decision has been celebrated by some as a victory for parental rights while others see it as problematic.
I spoke with a legal expert at Michigan State University to understand what this ruling could mean for local parents and schools.
WATCH: Legal expert explains how Supreme Court ruling could reshape Michigan school curriculum
Heather Johnson, an adjunct professor at the MSU College of Law, believes Friday's ruling could have far-reaching impacts on public education.
"School districts are going to be advised to take this out of their curriculum. They're going to be advised to basically just take out anything that would be controversial because they don't want to get sued," Johnson said.
The ruling has drawn strong reactions from political figures, including former President Donald Trump, who celebrated the decision as a win for parental authority.
"It's really a ruling for parents," Trump said. "They lost control of the schools. They lost control of their child, and this is a tremendous victory for parents, and I'm not surprised by it, but I am surprised that it went this far."
Johnson questions which parents truly benefit from the ruling.
"A big win for which parents is what I would ask. I think if you're Christian and conservative and you believe in one view of America, not religious pluralism, then you perhaps think of this as a win. However, I think if you believe in the founding vision of a plurality, of everybody's right to exercise a freedom of religion, I do think that one day this will be seen as a darker day for the First Amendment," Johnson said.
With the issue being returned to lower courts for further proceedings, Johnson suggests parents should use this time for reflection.
"As a parent, those are choices you have to make for your child's education," Johnson said.
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