Muslim parents delivered passionate speeches against elementary schoolchildren in Maryland's Montgomery County Public Schools being forced to learn LGBTQ sexuality curriculum against parents' wishes at a Tuesday school board meeting.
Parents, students and activists have taken issue over the past few weeks with the school district removing an opt-out option for LGBTQ sexuality curriculum.
"We [as Muslims] reject the implication that acting on our faith's principles is a willful means of harming others. In fact, we see it as a point of bigotry that some only care for our community and will only protect our rights when we assimilate to their way of life and ways of thinking," Sameera Munshi of the Coalition of Virtue said.
"Our faith is not partisan and our people are not backwards," she continued. "Part of the American dream of our people is that they pass on their values to their children. But members of this school board have mocked our values and have said we cannot be allowed to opt our children out precisely because they want to end that dream."
She added that Muslim parents have a constitutional First Amendment right to instill their values into their children. "[W]e ask that we at least have a choice for our children not to be forced to participate in celebrating or normalizing views that contradict our religion," she said.
Munshi argued students will learn about transgender individuals at an appropriate time as deemed by their parents.
"And the conversations that they will have with these members of our community will serve as education on these matters later in their lives. But we're asking that our children not be strong-armed at such a young age into believing certain ideas about gender and sexuality, or that the school system insist on turning our children against the religious values that we hold."
Other speakers against the opt-out option being removed included a child named Sa'ad, a middle school student in MCPS.
"I'm here to talk about my rights. My religion teaches to respect all religions and all human beings and their rights. So does my country's law. And I want my right back to have an opt-out option," he said at a previous meeting.
Another child, who was a 2023 graduate from MCPS, Ibrahim Raziuddin, said, "I am here to testify on behalf of my elementary-age cousins. Although the introduction of texts and discussions related to transgenderism and LGBTQ+ may support MCPS' mission to be all-inclusive… I don't believe my first-grade and third-grade cousins are prepared to read and discuss such issues."
Another Muslim child, Yasmeen Elkoshairi, also a recent graduate, said, "Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right that protects the conscience of all people. It allows us to think, express and act upon what we deeply believe. But around the world and in the United States, this freedom is eroding."
Following the children speaking out at the June 6 meeting, a Montgomery County council member, Kristin Mink, accused them of being on the "side of White supremacists."
"This issue has unfortunately does put… some Muslim families on the same side of an issue as White supremacists and outright bigots," the Democrat representing County Council for District 5 said. "I would not put you in the same category as those folks, although, you know, it's complicated because they're falling on the same side of this particular issue."
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Jahangir Baig, a father in the district, invoked Attorney General Merrick Garland's memo that led to parents speaking out at school board meetings being investigated by the FBI. He noted the FBI has a particularly troubled history with the Muslim community, but said he would speak out anyway to protect his child.
"Y'all don't talk to us. You only talk to your own people. And look, I know, you know, nowadays, even in Ohio, they talk about calling the FBI. You know what happens with us [Muslims]? It's not a secret. They got special places for Muslims," he said. "So call them, tell them… Baig is waiting at his house for the FBI. Whoever you want to call. I'm not worried about it. I'll be in it for my kid. This is my kid."
The Montgomery County Board of Education did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
