Sample Opt-Out Letter: Religious and Conscientious Objections to LGBTQ+ Curriculum and Policies
This sample letter provides language for parents or guardians to formally opt their children out of LGBTQ+-related curriculum, pronoun policies, and gender identity practices in public schools based on sincerely held religious beliefs. Citing recent legal precedents, including the landmark 2025 Mahmoud v. Taylor decision, the letter outlines a parent’s constitutional and statutory rights to receive notice, refuse compelled speech, and request accommodations. This tool is intended to help families assert their rights respectfully and clearly with school officials ahead of the academic year.
[Date]
Dear [Superintendent X, School Board Members, Principal X, Assistant Principal X, Director of Student Services X],
Based on our religious beliefs and conscientious opposition, I am hereby immediately opting out my children (add names) from all LGBTQ+ related texts, surveys, and curricula lessons in their public schools, regardless of when that material is to be presented during the school day, in light of the June 27, 2025 Supreme Court ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor, 606 U.S. ___ (2025) and Hardwick v. Board of School Trustees of Fruitridge School Dist. 54 Cal.App. 696, 704 (1921).
I am further exercising my right to opt out my children from mandatory preferred pronoun usage and shared-sex bathroom and locker room policies at their public schools, which are predicated on beliefs about gender identity that run contrary to our religion, compel my children to affirm a message with which they disagree, and are a violation of both constitutional and statutory law. See, e.g., Mahmoud v. Taylor, 606 U.S. ___ (2025) (holding that public schools must provide notice and the ability to opt out of educational requirements or curriculum that would “substantially interfer[e] with the religious development” of a child, or pose “a very real threat of undermining” the religious beliefs and practices a parent wishes to instill in the child); 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, 600 U.S. 570 (2023) (ruling that the government cannot compel a designer to create work that violates her values); S.E. v. Grey, No. 3:24-cv-00811 (S.D. Cal. May 12, 2025) (ordering the Encinitas Union School District to provide advance notice and opt-outs when gender identity material is taught in mentoring programs to avoid compelled speech).
I look forward to receiving communication from the district as to how you will implement the Mahmoud v. Taylor decision. Specifically, I look forward to learning about how and when you intend to be compliant with it and plan to alert parents about related changes to the district’s gender identity policies. I also look forward to learning about your plan to notify us about any upcoming LGBTQ+ lessons, including those on gender identity, before they are taught to our children in their public schools. Finally, I would also like to know what discipline will be applied if a teacher/principal/school does not honor this opt out request.
Please confirm receipt of my request. My expectation is that my request be implemented on the first day of school.
Sincerely,
[Parent/Advocate/Guardian]
