Suburban D.C.'s Montgomery County Public Schools will pay $1.5 million to parents who prevailed at the Supreme Court in their legal challenge to the district's refusal to notify or let them opt out their young children from LGBTQ "storybooks," according to the parents' lawyers.

The parties in Mahmoud v. Taylor "waive a hearing and findings of fact and conclusions of law on all issues unaddressed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision" in favor of a consent judgment approved by U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman.

They agreed the parents are entitled to judgment on their claim that the district violated their First Amendment right to "religious upbringing of children," making them "prevailing parties" for the purpose of damages, though that figure is listed in a "Separate Agreement" that the parents' lawyers at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty have not posted.

The district promised to notify plaintiffs "in advance whenever one of the books in question or any similar book is to be used in any way" and let them opt out their kids. 

It will email them "descriptions of all core instructional texts and supplemental texts and materials (including videos)," identify all such materials "that address the family life and human sexuality objectives" in the Maryland health educational framework, and instruct schools and teachers to "provide accurate information" when parents ask when such materials will be used in class.

"Public schools nationwide are on notice: running roughshod over parental rights and religious freedom isn’t just illegal—it’s costly," Becket senior counsel Eric Baxter said.