The Supreme Court's recent decision in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor has prompted a response from Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, who serves as the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Religious Liberty. The ruling was decided with a 6-3 vote.

Bishop Rhoades emphasized the importance of parental rights in directing their children's education, particularly concerning topics related to faith and morals. He stated, “Parents have a right to direct their children’s education, especially regarding subjects that touch on faith and morals.”

He highlighted the diversity within public schools across the nation, which include families holding various beliefs about faith and morality. According to Rhoades, when public schools engage with these sensitive topics, they should be considerate of all family perspectives.

“Public schools in our diverse country include families from many communities with a variety of deep-seated convictions about faith and morals," he said. "When these schools address issues that touch on these matters, they ought to respect all families."

Rhoades further remarked that parents retain their role as primary educators even when enrolling their children in public schools. In reference to the specific situation in Montgomery County, he noted that parents there were not attempting to impose their religious views but were simply requesting an exemption from participating in a program conflicting with their beliefs.

“Parents do not forfeit their rights as primary educators of their children when they send their kids to public schools," he continued. "The parents in Montgomery County did not seek to impose their religious viewpoints on others; they simply asked to opt out of a program that was offensive to their faith.”