Massachusetts School Violates Parental Rights by Ignoring Religious Opt-Out Request

The ACLJ and our co-counsel at the Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center are representing a Massachusetts parent whose constitutional rights were ignored when his young child was exposed to a public school’s classroom content that directly conflicted with the family’s religious beliefs – despite the parent’s clear, written request to opt his child out.

At the start of the school year, our client formally notified school officials that he wished to have his kindergartener excused from certain classroom materials and lessons addressing sensitive moral and social topics that contradict the family’s sincerely held religious convictions. This right is protected under both Massachusetts law and the First Amendment, which both guarantee that parents – not government officials – have the primary authority to direct the moral and religious upbringing of their children. He also requested the opportunity to review the school curriculum.

Despite that clear request, the school failed to provide him access to the curriculum and went forward with lessons the parent had sought to avoid. District officials claimed his letter lacked sufficient “specificity,” even though they had refused to provide the curriculum materials in advance. That reasoning is not only illogical – it’s unconstitutional. Parents cannot be expected to identify specific lessons they object to when the school conceals the content of those lessons.

This case highlights a growing problem nationwide: Public schools increasingly treat parents as obstacles to be managed rather than as partners in their children’s education. By denying transparency and disregarding a parent’s religious objections, the district trampled the fundamental rights guaranteed by both the Massachusetts Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.

The Supreme Court has long affirmed that “the liberty of parents and guardians to direct the upbringing and education of children under their control” is a constitutionally protected right (Pierce v. Society of Sisters). That liberty has no meaning if schools can simply brush aside a parent’s faith-based objections because they find them inconvenient.

The ACLJ and Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center sent a formal demand letter calling on the district to immediately correct course. Our letter insists that the district honor the parent’s written opt-out request and provide timely, transparent access to classroom materials and curricula.

If the district fails to act, the ACLJ and our co-counsel are prepared to pursue all available legal remedies to protect this parent’s rights – and to defend families across Massachusetts from similar abuses.

This is not an isolated incident. Across the country, we are seeing school districts adopt policies that limit parental involvement and conceal classroom content on sensitive topics. These efforts are part of a broader attempt to erode the role of parents in their children’s moral formation. But the Constitution is clear: Parents do not surrender their rights at the schoolhouse door.

The ACLJ remains steadfast in defending those rights. We are working to ensure that schools are held accountable to the law – and that parents of faith retain the freedom to raise their children according to their convictions, not the government’s preferences.

When schools overstep their authority, the ACLJ will stand in the gap to defend families, faith, and freedom. Your support makes this work possible.

Join us as we defend parental rights in Massachusetts and across the nation – sign our petition to defend parents’ rights and donate today to stand with us in this critical fight for freedom.