California parents sue school over LGBTQ curriculum

Two California parents have sued Sunnyvale School District officials, saying they were denied the ability to opt their kids out of using controversial lessons and books on sexuality and gender ideology. Justin and Rose Taylor, who are members of the Latter-day Saints religion, said the books conflict with their beliefs. They filed a lawsuit Monday, contending that school officials have flatly refused to give them the chance to pull their children. The parents should be the ones deciding how their kids learn about sensitive topics regarding sexuality and gender, Justin Rose said in a statement Tuesday.

Sunnyvale officials’ refusal to accommodate opt-outs defied the Supreme Court’s landmark July 2025 decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, according to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. There, the court upheld parents’ constitutional right to direct the upbringing of their children. The Constitution does not have a carve-out for California, said Michael O’Brien, an attorney at Becket.

Months after the Supreme Court’s decision, the Sunnyvale School Board in September 2025 approved a resolution reaffirming the district’s commitment to safe and inclusive schools. The resolution includes a commitment to curricula that include “LGBTQIA+ history, disability visibility, multilingual experiences, and culturally responsive instruction” across grade levels, according to the district’s website. The resolution aligns with state law in California, according to the district.

What sort of books do the Taylors want to opt out of? Sunnyvale could expose the Taylors’ elementary school children to books that celebrate pride parades, drag queens, gender transitions, and pronoun preferences. The school district has offered curriculum that promotes LGBTQ family structures and men participating in women’s sports. While the district initially offered the Taylors the ability to opt out of these lessons, it later reversed course, according to Becket.

Dig deeper: Read Steve West’s in-depth report for Roundups on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor.