The Supreme Court ruled Friday that parents have a right to opt their schoolchildren out of classes and lessons that offend their religious beliefs.

Supreme Court ruling allows parents to opt out of LGBTQ lessons, sparking debate on religious freedom in education.

Maryland parents have a religious right to withdraw their children from classes on days that stories with gay and transgender themes are discussed, the court ruled.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday in favor of Christian and Muslim parents in Maryland who sued to keep their elementary school children out of certain classes when storybooks with LGBT characters are read in a high-profile case involving the intersection of religion and LGBTQ+ rights.

The decision marks an expansion of religious liberty protections. 

Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor faced backlash from LGBTQ+ book authors who called the decision "discriminatory and harmful" to inclusive education.