A divided US Supreme Court signaled it will back public school parents seeking to opt out of classroom lessons that incorporate LGBTQ-friendly books, as the justices heard a case that could further expand religious rights.

Montgomery County is the nation’s most religiously diverse county and the largest in the state of Maryland.

Officials from Montgomery County Public Schools ‒ one of the largest and most ethnically diverse districts in the nation ‒ said they introduced a handful of books with LGBTQ+ characters into its elementary school curriculum as part of an effort to better reflect the community.