MCPS Allows First Grade Science Opt Outs

In response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against MCPS and in favor of parents wanting to opt their children out of LGBTQ+ friendly curriculum materials on religious grounds, Montgomery County Public Schools says it has enabled opt out menus in ParentVUE.

The first curriculum with opt out menus is First Grade Science. Others will follow in the coming weeks. Parents of first graders may now request opt outs for units on plant physiology, animal behavior, and the creation of light.

First Grade MP Two: Parts of Plants
In marking period 2, students observe and collect plant structures and relate their features to their function, including the hermaphroditic Nepenthes Bokorensis, a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Cambodia, and Papaver Orientale, a perineal flowering plant native to West Asia.

First Grade MP Three: Animal Behavior
Marking period 3 starts with students reading Aren't You My Brother?!? by Mahmoud Barakat, where they are introduced to the anchor phenomenon of animal species learning physiological and behavioral characteristics through images of adolescent bonobo siblings at play.

First Grade MP Four: Understanding Light
In marking period 4, students learn how light is created by comparing sources of illumination including fireflies, light bulbs and the sun. Note: opt out includes only the first day of Unit One, The Sun.

MCPS says using ParentVUE's opt out system cures the administrative burden that caused it to ban opt outs in March 2023. ParentVue is MCPS's user-friendly, glitch-free online portal that allows parents to access real-time information about student academics and manage curriculum choices.