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USA Today
02-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
They battled for parental rights decades ago. How they now view a big Supreme Court ruling
More than three decades ago, these parents battled unsuccessfully in the courts for parental rights in their public schools. Now, they weigh the high court's ruling in a key Maryland case. On April 8, 1992, Suzanne Brown asked her son, Jason Mesiti, about his day at school. 'He said, 'probably the worst in my life,'' Brown recalled. While she said the remark was 'somewhat dramatic,' she, too, was disturbed by what her son, a high school sophomore at the time, described. Mesiti had to attend an assembly about sex and AIDS prevention at his school in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. He described the program's use of 'profane, lewd and lascivious language' and how at one point a demonstration included a female student pulling a condom over a male student's head. Mesiti said such actions made it feel 'like you were being Punk'd,' and Brown said she was 'totally shocked' upon reviewing a transcript of the program. His family unsuccessfully sued, with the religious beliefs of parents a key part of the case. Brown said she should have been notified about the content of that program and had the opportunity to opt out. Now, more than three decades later, parents have that right, thanks to a June 27 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which sided with a group of Maryland parents who wanted to opt their children out of English language arts curriculum with LBGTQ+ characters. Montgomery County Public Schools initially allowed opt-outs but later ended such accommodations because they threatened to cause 'significant disruptions.' A group of parents sued, and the case before the high court was one of the most high profile this year with sweeping ramifications for public school districts across the nation. In the 6-3 decision, the court said the school district violated the parents' First Amendment rights to the free exercise of religion by not allowing them to opt out from having their children read books with LGBTQ themes at school. Justice Samuel Alito said parents have an established right to direct their children's religious upbringing. The books in the Maryland case, he said, "unmistakably convey a particular viewpoint about same-sex marriage and gender." The three liberal justices disagreed. Public schools have the 'core premise' of introducing students to a 'range of concepts and views that reflect our entire society,' Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote. 'Exposure to new ideas has always been a vital part of that project, until now,' she wrote. Sotomayor said the ruling could result in 'chaos' for the public school system and have a chilling effect on disadvantaged public schools that may be wary of introducing curriculum with the potential to invite lawsuits or create logistical challenges. Looking at things now, Brown said she doesn't believe allowing parents to opt out places an 'overwhelming' burden on schools. 'If the parents don't care ... that's up to them, but if a parent does have beliefs and truths they want to stick to for their children, I think they should have the right to do that,' Brown said. Opt-outs may only provide 'myth of control,' defendant says Suzi Landolphi, who created the program Mesiti attended and was named in the lawsuit that followed, acknowledged that her tactics were unorthodox and could even be 'traumatizing' for some students. But she said school officials wanted students to attend the program given the AIDS epidemic that was, at that time, killing tens of thousands of Americans each year. She said schools could have decided whether to require parent permission for students to attend her program but that Chelmsford High School opted not to do so. USA TODAY reached out to the school for comment. Though she 'would've absolutely preferred" students to have parental permission to attend her program, Landolphi moved forward with the goal of using humor and theatricality to spread awareness of serious issues among high school students. 'The last thing in the world I want to do is stand up there and lecture and, first of all, not have any young people come in to the performance or to the presentation, and then I don't want them to tune out, because this is important, life-saving information,' she said. Landolphi, who now works as a therapist, said she has 'no trouble' with parents wanting to prevent their children from being exposed to certain content. But she said that such measures may only support the 'myth of control." Parents can't expect to shield their children from everything they find objectionable in the age of smartphones and social media, she said. Brown described her family as Christ followers but said her objection to Landolphi's program more than three decades ago was driven primarily by 'common sense.' A district court dismissed her lawsuit in 1995. The decision was later upheld by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Landolphi told USA TODAY there have been times when she disagreed with her children's curriculum. Those occasions prompted conversations that "allowed for deeper understanding and connection," but she said she "never felt burdened" by such incidents. Mesiti, like his mother, told USA TODAY that parents 'have a right to do what they want' as it relates to their children. At the same time, he disagrees with book bans and thinks students benefit from exposure to diverse beliefs and lifestyles. "I believe schools should distinguish between potentially harmful, age-inappropriate content and lawful, necessary civil-rights education," Mesiti said. "The former may justify opt-outs, and the latter should remain mandatory for informed citizenship and workplace readiness." But Mesiti said he is concerned about public schools "playing it safe" in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor, the Maryland case, and "limiting essential, factual curriculum." Likewise, Zach Schurin, an attorney with expertise in education law, echoed Sotomayor's concerns. Public school districts may now 'think very long and hard about including curriculum that is controversial in nature,' he said. Based on the court's ruling, a school that still seeks to mandate such material without allowing opt-outs must prove that it has a compelling interest in doing so that overrides the burden on parents' free exercise of religion, he said. But he said the details of the ruling suggest it 'would be hard to meet that standard.' Tennessee case was a 'proxy war' in the 80s The multitude of perspectives on parents' rights speaks to the "fundamental, touchy nature" of public education, said Stephen Bates, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas, professor and author of the book 'Battleground: One Mother's Crusade, the Religious Right and the Struggle for Control of our Classrooms.' The book is based on Mozert v. Hawkins County Board of Education, a 1987 case in Tennessee that has parallels to the recent Maryland case. It involved a group of evangelical parents who felt that requiring students to read material that conflicted with their religious beliefs was a violation of their First Amendment rights. A judge ruled in 1986 that the parents had a right to opt their children out of the district's reading program 'with appropriate provisions for home instruction' while still having them attend public school for other subjects. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that ruling the following year and sent the case back to the lower court with 'directions to dismiss the complaint.' It was ultimately a 'political story,' Bates said. Though the case originated as a local issue, it attracted attention from national groups and became 'kind of a proxy war." The parents were backed by Concerned Women for America, for example, while the civil liberties group People for the American Way supported the school on the grounds that a ruling in the parents' favor 'could have caused chaos in public education across the country.' The Maryland case has similarly involved national players. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty represented the Maryland parents, who also had support from the Southeastern Legal Foundation and Regent University's Robertson Center for Constitutional Law. The school district, however, had backing from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and GLAAD. Bates supported the Supreme Court's ruling and said classrooms benefit from accommodating students from a variety of perspectives. 'The public school is one of the last places in American life where people from different backgrounds mix,' he said. 'In our polarized times, that kind of exposure matters.' He noted that some families left Montgomery County Public Schools over the ban on opt-outs, meaning a 'curriculum designed to promote diversity ended up making the schools less diverse.' 'Behind every case are families doing their best' Corky Leebaert was in seventh grade when his father, Turk Leebaert, objected to his mandatory health class in 1998. The course covered topics including drugs, alcohol and sex. Though a Connecticut law allowed parents to opt their children out of lessons related to family life, such as sexuality and family planning, Turk Leebaert sought to remove his son from the course altogether. Corky Leebaert failed the course due to lack of attendance. His father later sued school officials and the town of Fairfield, Connecticut in 2002 on First and Fourteenth Amendment grounds. 'I believe that God has empowered human beings with the right to bring their children up with correct moral principles in dealing with the issues taught in this course, not the school system,' Turk Leebaert wrote in an affidavit referenced in the lawsuit. Corky Leebaert told USA TODAY he didn't 'fully grasp the legal significance of what was happening' at the time given his young age but felt a 'quiet tension' from faculty and staff. 'I wouldn't describe it as overt mistreatment, but there was definitely a sense that I was 'part of something' that made people uncomfortable,' he said. 'It was subtle – hesitations in conversation, brief looks – but it was there.' He didn't have a personal objection to the material but respected his father's beliefs and decision to pursue legal action. Though he said he understands schools "have an obligation to provide consistent education," which was among a district court judge's reasons for ruling against his father, he also believes parents should have a right to opt their children out of curriculum they find 'unethical or morally inappropriate.' In cases like the one in Maryland, he supports schools having inclusive books in the curriculum but allowing parents to opt out. If the majority do, he said the school should find alternative material. At the same time, he's 'cautious about broad opt-out rights.' 'If we allow opt-outs for every issue that makes someone uncomfortable, we risk eroding the integrity of public education,' he said. Now a father himself, Leebaert said he keeps tabs on his children's curriculum, 'not because I'm looking for things to reject, but because I believe engagement is part of responsible parenting.' He ultimately thinks students are best served when parents and schools build a partnership in which there is room for 'flexibility and accommodation.' 'Leebaert v. Harrington taught me that legal systems often move impersonally, but behind every case are families doing their best to navigate difficult questions,' he said. BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@ USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.
CNBC
30-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs starting businesses in record numbers
In the face of the anti-diversity, equity and inclusion environment, LBGTQ+ small business owners have remained resilient — and are actually starting businesses in record numbers. Some 10% of entrepreneurs who started their own businesses last year identified as LGBTQ — a "milestone" and a 50% increase from 2023, according to a recent survey from small business software company Gusto. That brings the LGBTQ entrepreneurship representation in line with the general population, the company said. "For too long, LGBTQ entrepreneurs have faced barriers to capital, visibility, and opportunity," Nich Tremper, Gusto's senior economist, said in an email. "Reaching parity in business creation shows that more LGBTQ people are not only stepping into entrepreneurship, but doing so on their own terms — building companies rooted in care, autonomy, and community." About a third of LGBTQ entrepreneurs said they started a business so they can be a positive influence on their community. For 38-year-old Lissete Briggs, who goes by Liz Whalen, opening up her hair salon Rebel Rebel in Libertyville, Illinois, was a way to give a safe space to her clients. She started her business with former co-worker Ashley Levin in 2020 after working in the industry for several years. The salon they worked for at the time was very conservative, Whalen said. "I have a lot of gender queer, non-binary and trans clients, and they definitely did not feel comfortable there, so it was not a good fit for me," she explained. "We wanted a more inclusive space." Whalen isn't feeling any of the effects of the backlash against DEI and only feels support from her clients and her community, including a local LGBTQ+ center. "They support us. We support them," Whalen said. "It's really a beautiful thing to see everybody kind of come together and support our little business." Jonathan Lovitz, senior vice president of campaigns and communications at the Human Rights Campaign, said that is emblemantic of the community across the board in the face of any anti-DEI efforts or cuts to small business funding. President Donald Trump has signed executive orders targeting DEI programs in both business and the public sector. The administration has also proposed cuts to the Small Business Administration. "LGBT business owners are extraordinarily resilient," Lovitz said. The average American small business goes under around the five-year mark, but those that are certified LBGTQ+ are, on average, 12 years or older, he noted. "They're already good at sticking it out through the tough times," Lovitz added. "The pendulum swings back and forth on government and corporate support, but these companies are thriving because they're great companies." In fact, LBGTQ-owned businesses contribute $1.7 trillion to the United States economy, according to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Danielle Stinger, who owns Dandi Cleaning & Organizing in Atlanta, is one of those businesses. Stinger, who is 37 years old and also considers herself pansexual, started her business in 2022, after doing it as a side hustle for years. "In the political environment that we are in, especially with the last election, ... I have lost clients because of my choice in the LGBT community and good riddance," said Stringer, who is currently in a relationship with a man after an 8-year relationship with a woman. However, she's also found a lot of support. "The great thing about being your own business owner is that you're allowed to choose — you get to choose who you work with and who you don't work with," she said. Gusto's Tremper said that is a benefit that many in the community likely crave. "LGBTQ founders were 30% more likely than non-LGBTQ founders to say that they started their business in order to be their own boss," he said. "This could signal a desire for more autonomy, but for traditionally marginalized groups it's also possible that they're starting a business to avoid discrimination — either overt or more subtle — in the traditional workplace."
Boston Globe
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
USNS Harvey Milk is renamed after a WWII sailor in the latest Pentagon diversity purge
The decision is the latest move by Hegseth to wipe away names of ships and military bases that were given by President Joe Biden's Democratic administration, which in many cases chose to honor service members who were women, minorities, from the LBGTQ community and more. Advertisement It follows earlier actions by Hegseth and President Donald Trump, a Republican, to purge all programs, policies, books and social media mentions of references to diversity, equity and inclusion in the military and elsewhere. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Hegseth's announcement comes during Pride Month — the same timing as the Pentagon's campaign to force transgender troops out of the U.S. military. 'We're not renaming the ship to anything political. This is not about political activists,' said Hegseth, who earlier this month ordered Navy Secretary John Phelan to put together a small team to rename the USNS Harvey Milk replenishment oiler. He said Peterson's 'spirit of self-sacrifice and concern for his crewmates was in keeping with the finest traditions of the Navy.' Advertisement When Hegseth announced the decision to rename the ship, officials defended it as an effort to align with Trump and Hegseth's objectives to 're-establish the warrior culture.' Peterson served on the USS Neosho, which also was an oiler. The ship was damaged during the Battle of the Coral Sea, and even though Peterson was injured, he managed to close the bulkhead stop valves to keep the ship operational. He died of his wounds. The Navy in 1943 named an escort ship after Peterson. The USS Peterson served for more than two decades and was decommissioned in June 1965. The USNS Harvey Milk was named in 2016 by then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, who said at the time that the John Lewis-class of oilers would be named after leaders who fought for civil and human rights. Harvey Milk, who was portrayed by Sean Penn in an Oscar-winning 2008 movie, served for four years in the Navy before he was forced out for being gay. He later became one of the first openly gay candidates elected to public office, in San Francisco. He was assassinated in 1978 by a disgruntled former city supervisor.
Newsweek
09-06-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Woman Gets Message From Dog Walker—Realizes It Wasn't Meant for Her
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A dog walker was left red-faced after accidentally sending a text meant for her best friend to the pup's owner instead. Her reaction has delighted social media users. In a viral Reddit post shared on Thursday under the username u/camlaw63, the poster, who has asked to remain anonymous, explained that the walker was commenting on her choice of collar for the pup with her friend, when she accidentally texted her, without even realizing her mistake. "My new dog walker was texting about me behind my back, I didn't mind," she writes in the caption, as she shares the text she received from the walker, with a picture of her pup, 13-years-old Monty, attached to it. "Buddy is very proud of his pride collar! The mom rotates collar monthly, and when I complimented June, she goes 'ugh it really should be a pride collar,' so today I complimented his pride collar, she goes 'thanks it's embarrassing that he hasn't had one before this, we have a flag at the office downstairs!' "Haven't established her orientation but she comes off as an enthusiastic ally lol." A screenshot of the message the walker accidentally sent the dog's owner. A screenshot of the message the walker accidentally sent the dog's owner. u/camlaw63 The poster told Newsweek that she switches her pup's collars monthly to represent what's going on each month, a snowflake in January, hearts in February, Christmas in December, and so on. "I had originally put his June collar on which had petunias on it. When my dog walker complemented the collar earlier this week, it clicked in my mind that I should have a Pride collar for June, and was a little bummed that I didn't have one," she said. "I have many friends and family in the LBGTQ+ community, But honestly, it didn't occur to me that I'd be able to find a pride dog collar. I did find one on Amazon and was able to purchase it fairly quickly, and when my Dog Walker came in to take Monty for his walk on Wednesday, she complimented him on it." The mistake made by the walker left her "mortified," according to the post, but the dog owner wasn't bothered by it at all. "I appreciated the fact that she was conveying her belief that I am an enthusiastic ally, and that it was meaningful to her because she is a member of the queer community," she said. "She was obviously embarrassed that she had sent the text to the wrong person, I assured her that it touched me and that I was most certainly and an enthusiastic ally of the LBGTQ+community, in addition to other marginalized groups, despite being a white, cis woman." About 40 percent of Americans admit to not walking their dogs regularly, which besides physical struggles, can also cause behavioral issues. To avoid these issues, many owners who don't have time to take their pups out hire walkers. The U.S. dog walking industry had a market revenue of $1.3 billion in 2023, up from $980 million in 2020. While specific needs vary by size and breed, most dogs need a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes of exercise per day, to avoid developing health issues, like obesity, which in pets is associated with cardiovascular disease, liver disease, osteoarthritis, and insulin resistance. The video quickly went viral on Reddit and it has so far received over 10,000 upvotes and 106 comments on the platform. One user, Timendainum, commented: "My wife puts a different bow tie on our male dog each month. He has a pride bow tie for June." Ninjaclumso_x said: "Accidental Text ...on purpose." Hungry-Breadfruit-61 added: "I'm a pet sitter and I'd have crawled into a hole and never come out if this happened to me lol." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
International Pride Orchestra plays outside DC in rebuff to Trump snub at Kennedy Center
An event by the International Pride Orchestra this week swung from classical Gershwin favorites to choral patriotism to high drag in a rebuff to Donald Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center and its subsequent snub of the LBGTQ+ ensemble. The spirited celebration of WorldPride, the peripatetic biennial international festival in support of LGBTQ+ rights which kicks off this month and is taking place in Washington DC, was staged instead at the Strathmore Music Center in Maryland, just north of the capital. Related: Four queer business owners on Pride under Trump: 'Our joy is resistance' Sequin-clad drag queen Peaches Christ acted as host and New York drag queen Thorgy Thor played a violin solo to Beyoncé's Crazy in Love to an audience of 1,166 people. The orchestra had hoped to play at the Kennedy Center, Washington's premier performing arts center, but shortly after returning to the White House, Donald Trump pledged on social media that there would be, in all-caps: 'No more drag shows, or other anti-American propaganda' at the public-private arts space. The Trump administration has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banned transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinded anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people as part of a campaign to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Michael Roest, conductor and founder of the International Pride Orchestra, a non-profit, reminded the audience that 'people don't feel safe to live and love openly'. 'That is the reason why we have this orchestra,' he said. During the event, the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington sang American the Beautiful, and a pianist, Sara Davis Buechner, who is transgender, dazzled while leading the orchestra on grand piano in the Gershwin favorite Rhapsody in Blue. Both Stars and Stripes and rainbow flags were hoisted at the close. Trump in February fired the leadership of the Kennedy Center, named himself chair and put a loyalist in charge. The center then sent Roest a message that said: 'We are not in a position at this time to advance a contract,' according to an email chain seen by Reuters, after months of prior negotiations. Considering themselves 'disinvited', event organizers began looking for alternative venues and the Strathmore offered its space, an orchestra spokesperson said. A Kennedy Center spokesperson referred Reuters to an X post from leadership saying it had not actually canceled any shows.
