INTERNACIONAL
The Supreme Court appears to side with parents in religious liberty dispute over storybooks
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority offered strong support for parents seeking the religious liberty right to be informed about and opt their children out of reading material in elementary schools that they say conflicts with their faith.
The Montgomery County, Maryland school board withdrew its original opt-out policy for books related to gender and sexuality, prompting a federal lawsuit.
In a marathon two-and-a-half oral argument, the justices debated whether parents have been unfairly burdened in exercising their constitutional rights.
It is one of three high-profile religious-themed cases the high court will decide this term—including disputes over tax exemptions for religious groups, and taxpayer funding for private religious charter schools—which will be argued next week.
GORSUCH, ROBERTS SIDE WITH LEFT-LEANING SUPREME COURT JUSTICES IN IMMIGRATION RULING
Justice Sonia Sotomayor and her liberal colleagues appeared to back the county’s position on the storybooks. She noted a lower appeals court had refused a preliminary injunction to temporarily reinstate the opt-out policy.
«They never reached the issue of whether or not there was disruption, or what the motive was for taking away the opt out,» said Sotomayor. «What they decided was that there wasn’t coercion here, that there was mere exposure. I understood from the record that all that was required is that the books be put on the bookshelf. If that’s all that’s required, is that coercion?»
But Justice Samuel Alito echoed the views of several of his conservative colleagues, about returning to the previous policy that he said most schools around the country permit.
«What is the big deal about allowing them to opt out of this?» he asked.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool, File)
Alito also questioned the content of several of the books raised in the appeal dealing with same-sex marriage.
«I don’t think anybody can read that and say: well, this is just telling children that there are occasions when men marry other men,» said Alito. «It has a clear moral message, and it may be a good message. It’s just a message that a lot of religious people disagree with.»
Hundreds on both sides of the issue rallied outside the court, some carrying signs like «Let Parents Parent» and «Include All Families.»
The suburban Washington county introduced new books with LGBTQ+ characters and themes into the elementary school curriculum in 2022, as part of the district’s «inclusivity» initiative.
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One of the challenged storybooks raised in the appeals is «Prince & Knight,» described as a «modern fairy tale» for ages 4-8, of the two males falling in love after working together to battle a dragon threatening their kingdom, and later marrying.
Another book mentioned repeatedly in the court’s public session was «Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,» about a little girl’s reaction to her favorite relative’s plans to marry a man.
The school district refused to allow parents to opt out of their
Grace Morrison is one of the parents petitioning the Supreme Court to rule that a Maryland school district’s ban on parental opt-outs is unconstitutional. (Becket/Getty Images)
The school district refused to allow parents to opt out of their elementary school from the reading program – the same way older students can forego sex ed instruction.
While the school board initially allowed parents to keep their children out of this curriculum, the plaintiffs say officials quickly reversed course, announcing in March 2023 that exceptions would not be granted and that parents would not be notified before the books were introduced into their children’s classrooms. Officials cited increased absenteeism as one of the reasons for the change.
«We felt as parents that we would present these things to our children like we always have, when they’re ready to receive them. And especially a child with special needs, it’s even more difficult for her to understand,» said Grace Morrison, one of the plaintiffs. She and her husband, both Catholics, now homeschool their daughter, after the school refused an accommodation.
«Starting to present issues of gender ideology to a child like this could be extremely confusing and damaging, let alone to the faith that we’re raising her in,» she told Fox News Digital.
A federal appeals court ruled for the school district, concluding educators did not apply any pressure on children to abandon their religious beliefs, and «simply hearing about other views does not necessarily exert pressure to believe or act differently than one’s religious faith requires.»
State officials told the court that parents who choose to send their children to public school are not «coerced» simply by their classroom exposure there to religiously objectionable ideas.
The practical feasibility of an opt-out policy at was the key focus of the high court’s public session.
«Once we articulate a rule like that,» said Justice Elena Kagan, «it would be like, opt outs for everyone.»
SCOTUS HEARS ARGUMENTS OVER PARENTS’ FIGHT TO OPT CHILDREN OUT OF LGBTQ CURRICULUM
But Kagan also raised concerns about young children being exposed to some of the books offered in Montgomery County.
«I too, was struck by these young kids picture books and, on matters concerning sexuality. I suspect there are a lot of non-religious parents who weren’t all that thrilled about this.»
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who noted he grew up in the affluent county and still lives there with his wife and two school-age daughters, said he was «mystified» at the why the county canceled its original opt-out policy.
Some on the bench raised concerns about a sweeping «a la carte» discretion parents would have to object to what goes in schools.
«What about a trans student in the classroom?» said Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. «There’s a student who’s in the class. Must the teacher notify the parents of the student’s existence and give them an opt out to not be in the same classroom with this child?»
Dozens of briefs were filed by advocacy groups on both sides of the issue, including competing coalitions of states and lawmakers.
Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson stands as she and members of the Supreme Court pose for a new group portrait following her addition, at the Supreme Court building in Washington, Oct. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File )
Many educators say they should be given deference to develop lesson plans that reflect the community at large, and that navigating a flood of individual religious rights claims would make classroom instruction and collaboration extremely problematic.
Parents rights and religious groups counter impressionable children should not be forced to participate in reading activities that undermine their families’ teachings and spirituality. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, representing the parents who sued, called the school policy «compelled instruction.»
The Trump administration is backing the parents, saying in a written brief the board’s no opt-out policy «compromises parents’ ability to act consistent with those [religious] beliefs regardless of whether their children feel pressured or coerced by the instruction.»
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The case is Mahmoud v. Taylor (24-297). A ruling is expected before the court’s summer recess in late June.
Kristine Parks and Jessica Sonkin contributed to this report.
US,Supreme Court,Supreme Court Oral Arguments,Politics,US Education,Education Controversies,First Amendment Religious Freedom
INTERNACIONAL
Netanyahu condenó el atentado en Mánchester: “Sólo la fuerza y la unidad pueden derrotar al terrorismo”
Un hombre embistió con un automóvil a varias personas congregadas frente a una sinagoga ortodoxa en un barrio suburbano de Manchester el jueves y luego apuñaló a los presentes, dejando un saldo de dos muertos y cuatro heridos de gravedad en lo que la policía calificó como un ataque terrorista durante Yom Kippur, la jornada más sagrada del calendario judío. Según declaró el Metropolitan Police en Londres, responsable de las operaciones de lucha antiterrorista, los agentes abatieron al sospechoso en las afueras de la ciudad. Aunque inicialmente se retrasó la confirmación de su muerte porque el individuo portaba un chaleco que simulaba contener explosivos, más tarde las autoridades confirmaron que no llevaba ningún artefacto.
El Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, de la unidad de operaciones antiterroristas, afirmó en una comparecencia pública que se detuvo a otras dos personas vinculadas al ataque, pero no ofreció detalles sobre dichas detenciones, y precisó que la policía cree conocer la identidad del autor material, aunque esta todavía no ha sido verificada oficialmente.
Las autoridades confirmaron que las dos víctimas fatales pertenecían a la comunidad judía. El ataque tuvo lugar mientras numerosos fieles se encontraban reunidos en el templo para conmemorar el Día del Perdón.
Todas las novedades del ataque terrorista:
Burnham elogia la “ejemplar respuesta”
El alcalde del Gran Manchester, Andy Burnham, comienza agradeciendo a la policía, el servicio de ambulancias, los bomberos y los voluntarios por su ayuda y valentía.
“Esta fue una respuesta ejemplar a la luz azul”, declara. El alcalde afirma que se trató de un “horrible ataque antisemita contra nuestros amigos judíos”.
“Siempre nos mantendremos unidos”, añade, afirmando que Manchester “nunca permitirá que triunfen los actos diseñados para causar odio, división y violencia”.
“No dejen que triunfen”, dice el alcalde, y finaliza instando a todos a acercarse a sus vecinos y a la comunidad “en estos tiempos difíciles”.
Meloni lamenta el “vil” ataque en la sinagoga de Mánchester y denuncia el antisemitismo
La primera ministra italiana, Giorgia Meloni, ha lamentado el “vil” atentado en la sinagoga de la ciudad británica de Manchester, en el que han muerto dos personas, además del agresor, y ha avisado de que el antisemitismo “no puede tener espacio alguno” en Europa.
“Estoy profundamente conmocionada por el vil y atroz ataque contra una sinagoga de Mánchester perpetrado en el día sagrado de Yom Kippur”, denunció la mandataria en un comunicado.
Y agregó: “Estoy cerca de las familias de las víctimas, de la comunidad judía y de toda la nación británica. El antisemitismo no puede tener, y no tendrá, ningún espacio en Europa”.
Mahmood se compromete a hacer todo lo necesario para mantener la seguridad de la comunidad judía
La ministra del Interior, Shabana Mahmood, se declara horrorizada por el ataque antisemita a la sinagoga.
Afirma que sus oraciones están con las víctimas y agradece a los servicios de emergencia por su labor.
Mahmood afirma que hará todo lo necesario para mantener la seguridad de la comunidad judía.
Añadió que responderá a las preguntas lo antes posible, pero que tomará un tiempo.
Netanyahu condenó el atentado
El primer ministro israelí, Benjamín Netanyahu, declaró: “Israel se une al dolor de la comunidad judía del Reino Unido tras el brutal atentado terrorista en Manchester”.
“Nuestros corazones están con las familias de los asesinados y oramos por la pronta recuperación de los heridos. Como advertí en la ONU: la debilidad ante el terrorismo solo trae más terrorismo. Solo la fuerza y la unidad pueden derrotarlo”.
El primer ministro Keir Starmer dijo que Reino Unido debe “derrotar el odio creciente”
El primer ministro británico, Keir Starmer, advirtió el jueves que el “odio” contra los judíos está aumentando y que Gran Bretaña debe trabajar para vencerlo tras el ataque a una sinagoga de Manchester que dejó dos muertos.
“Si bien este no es un odio nuevo, es algo con lo que los judíos siempre han convivido”, declaró Starmer en un discurso por vídeo tras un ataque con coche y arma blanca en la ciudad del noroeste.
“Debemos ser claros: es un odio que está aumentando una vez más, y Gran Bretaña debe vencerlo una vez más”.
Qué se sabe hasta ahora
Dos miembros de la comunidad judía han fallecido, según la policía.
Otros cuatro se encuentran hospitalizados tras sufrir diversas lesiones graves.
El atacante fue abatido a tiros por la policía.
Las autoridades afirman que creen conocer su identidad, pero no pueden confirmarla por “razones de seguridad en el lugar”.
- Lo que dijeron las autoridades
La “valentía inmediata” del personal de seguridad y los fieles ayudó a impedir que el atacante entrara en la sinagoga.
Un dispositivo que llevaba el sospechoso “no era viable”.
La Operación Platón, una respuesta de los servicios de emergencia a incidentes a gran escala, ha sido suspendida.
Se mantiene el “estado de incidente grave”.
El primer ministro Keir Starmer se reunió con altos mandos policiales y miembros del gabinete en Downing Street para una reunión de emergencia. Posteriormente, afirmó que Gran Bretaña “debe derrotar” el creciente odio antisemita.
Qué se sabe del autor del ataque terrorista a una sinagoga en Manchester en Yom Kippur
El atentado durante la fecha más importante del calendario judío dejó víctimas mortales y sembró el pánico. La policía investiga conexiones y refuerza la seguridad en todo el Reino Unido
La investigación sobre el ataque frente a la Sinagoga de la Congregación Hebrea de Heaton Park en Mánchester, que el jueves dejó dos muertos y tres personas gravemente heridas durante la celebración de Yom Kippur, ha revelado nuevos elementos sobre la identidad y el modus operandi del perpetrador.
La Policía confirmó dos detenidos tras el atentado terrorista a la sinagoga en Mánchester
Las autoridades dijeron que encontraron un “dispositivo suicida” el cuerpo del perpetrador, cuya identidad no ha sido confirmada por razones de seguridad. IMÁGENES SENSIBLES
La Policía británica confirmó este jueves la detención de dos personas en relación con el ataque a una sinagoga en Mánchester (noroeste de Inglaterra), en el que hubo dos muertos (más el atacante) y al menos tres heridos y que ha sido declarado atentado terrorista.
La embajada de Israel y líderes mundiales condenaron el ataque terrorista en la sinagoga de Mánchester
La ONU, líderes europeos, la realeza británica y organizaciones religiosas, incluidas comunidades musulmanas y cristianas, condenaron el ataque que dejó dos muertos durante Yom Kippur
La embajada de Israel en Reino Unido condenó el ataque terrorista en una sinagoga de Mánchester que dejó dos muertos y al menos tres heridos, calificándolo de “odioso y profundamente perturbador”, mientras líderes mundiales y organizaciones religiosas expresaban su consternación por el incidente ocurrido durante Yom Kippur, el día más sagrado del calendario judío.
El momento en que la Policía abatió al terrorista que atacó la sinagoga de Manchester
Dos personas murieron y tres resultaron gravemente heridas en las afueras de un templo judío, donde la policía respondió al ataque con disparos y activó protocolos de emergencia. IMÁGENES SENSIBLES
Un video publicado en la red social X recoge los momentos posteriores al ataque frente a la Sinagoga de la Congregación Hebrea de Heaton Park, en el barrio de Crumpsall, al norte de Mánchester, mientras se celebraba Yom Kippur. En las imágenes, dos agentes de policía rodean al presunto atacante, que permanece herido en el suelo junto a la entrada del templo. Los policías, visiblemente tensos y con armas en mano, ordenan a los presentes que se retiren: “Atrás, atrás”, insisten una y otra vez para despejar la zona ante el riesgo que perciben.
Crime,Law Enforcement,Crime,Europe
INTERNACIONAL
Trump must triple severely outdated nuke arsenal to outpace China and Russia, report warns
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FIRST ON FOX: A new report warns the U.S. nuclear arsenal is dangerously outdated and too small to confront growing global threats — and recommends nearly tripling the number of deployed American warheads by 2050.
The report, first obtained by Fox News Digital, argues that America’s current force of about 1,750 deployed nuclear weapons leaves the nation vulnerable in an era when Moscow, Beijing, and Pyongyang are all expanding their arsenals at breakneck speed.
China alone is building 100 new nuclear weapons a year, according to the Pentagon, and is on track to reach strategic parity with the U.S. by the mid-2030s.
«The newest warhead that we have was built in 1989,» Robert Peters, author of the Heritage report, told Fox News Digital.
HOW US SHOULD RESPOND AFTER CHINA REJECTS TRUMP NUCLEAR TALKS, SHOWS OFF NEW WEAPONS AT PARADE
Russian military launches a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile during drills at an airfield in Russia (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)
«The force size that we have now … That was a force design that came up when President Obama was in office in 2010, and the assumptions were in 2010 that there would be no more real competition between the United States and Russia, and China was not even a real player on the nuclear field.»
The report, authored by Robert Peters of Heritage’s Allison Center for National Security, proposes that Washington expand its force to roughly 4,625 operationally deployed nuclear weapons by 2050.
That number would include about 3,500 strategic warheads — carried by intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), ballistic missile submarines, and bombers — and about 1,125 non-strategic weapons, such as gravity bombs and theater-range missiles.
It comes amid warnings that Moscow maintains thousands of non-strategic nuclear weapons in Europe, outnumbering U.S. stocks by as much as ten to one, while China races to deploy stealth bombers, submarine-based missiles and even orbital strike systems. North Korea already possesses about 90 warheads and continues testing missiles that can reach the U.S. homeland.
«We’ve got an arsenal today that is decades beyond its planned life cycle, and a force construct that was designed for a very benign world.»
CHINA’S GROWING NUCLEAR ARSENAL AIMS TO BREAK US ALLIANCES AND DOMINATE ASIA, REPORT WARNS
Peters’ proposal envisions a modernized force including new Sentinel ICBMs, Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, nuclear-capable B-21 stealth bombers, long-range cruise missiles, and theater-range hypersonic weapons. The plan would still keep U.S. forces below Cold War levels but significantly above today’s posture.
It lays out a plan for regional nuclear allocations in each theater, with the largest number of assets, 3,200 warheads, being placed under Northern Command and focused on homeland defense. Some 750 warheads would be placed in Europe and 675 in the Indo-Pacific region.
It calls for Sentinel ICBMs to replace Minuteman III and B-21 and B-52 jets with new long-range standoff cruise missiles.
During the Cold War, the U.S. fielded tens of thousands of warheads, deployed in Europe, Asia and at home. The new 2050 arsenal would still be far smaller than Cold War levels.
«A U.S. President with some regional nuclear options but only token damage-limiting capacity would quickly be confronted during a limited nuclear conflict with two unpalatable options: surrender or threaten widespread attacks on the adversary homeland, thus inviting an in-kind response, meaning suicide,» the report warns.
Skeptics often ask why nations need thousands of nuclear weapons when a single warhead can level a city. Peters argues that this is a misconception rooted in Cold War imagery of mushroom clouds over Manhattan.
North Korea possesses around 90 nuclear warheads. ( KCNA via REUTERS)
In reality, most modern nuclear warheads are not designed for «city busting» but for striking enemy nuclear forces — silos, missile fields, and command-and-control centers. China, for example, is building up to 500 hardened ICBM silos in remote deserts. Military planners assume it could take at least two U.S. warheads to guarantee destruction of each site.
As Peters puts it, «the goal is never to get to this point. That’s why you have nuclear weapons, to make sure you never get to this point.»
It’s unclear whether the current political leadership would heed Peters’ recommendations. President Donald Trump has proposed «denuclearization» talks with U.S. adversaries.
«Trump very understandably doesn’t like nuclear weapons,» Peters said.
But, he added, «we tried [denuclearizing] under President Obama in 2009 and 2012 and no one followed.»
«Tremendous amounts of money are being spent on nuclear, and the destructive capacity is something we don’t even want to talk about today, because you don’t want to hear it,» Trump mused in remarks to the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, in February.
«I want to see if we can denuclearize, and I think it’s very possible,» suggesting talks on the issue between the U.S., Russia and China.
President Vladimir Putin announced Russia would suspend its participation in the New START treaty in 2023 over U.S. support for Ukraine. Russia had frequently been caught violating the terms of the deal. But China has never engaged in negotiations with the U.S. over arms reduction.
North Korea has rejected any suggestion of denuclearizing from the U.S.
Read the report below. App users: Click here
In September, Russia proposed a one-year extension of the New START treaty, which technically expires in 2026, but the White House has yet to respond to that proposal.
Expanding the arsenal won’t be cheap. But at around $56 billion, the U.S. only spends around seven percent of the defense budget on nuclear weapons, Peters argues.
The report also calls for nuclear capabilities to be deployed forward to Finland and Poland, a proposal that is certain to rattle the Kremlin and would cut strike times down from hours to minutes.
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Nuclear weapons are currently hosted in Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, — bases chosen in the Cold War when they sat just 150 miles from the Soviet front line. But Russia’s front line has now moved 800 miles east.
He made a similar call for nuclear capabilities to be placed in South Korea. Washington periodically deploys US nuclear-armed submarines to South Korea and involve Seoul in its nuclear planning operations in exchange for an agreement from Seoul not to develop its own nuclear weapons.
nuclear proliferation,conflicts defense,china,russia,north korea,south korea,europe
INTERNACIONAL
Tras la detención de la Flotilla a Gaza, miles de estudiantes salieron a la calle en toda España: «Mientras tu callas, Palestina grita”
Las pancartas caseras incluían fotos de Adolf Hitler a quien emparentaban con Isabel Díaz Ayuso y con l alcalde de Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida. Foto: Cézaro De Luca.“Garantizar la protección diplomática”
Jóvenes estudiantes participaron en la manifestación para protestar contra Israel y su primer ministro, Benjamín Netanyahu. Foto: Cézaro De Luca.El PP y Vox, en la vereda de enfrente
Movilizaciones para este viernes
En la Puerta del Sol de Madrid, los estudiantes pedían «todos los ojos sobre la flotilla Global Sumud». Foto: Cézaro De Luca.
Elisa Carrió le exigió a Espert que se presente ante la Justicia para explicar si recibió US$200.000 de Fred Machado
¿La Argentina es un país caro o barato?: este relevamiento responde al eterno debate
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Javier Milei continúa en modo campaña, pero no consigue acercarse a los gobernadores más duros
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El desolador llanto de Thiago Medina por sus hijas tras despertar del coma, a 17 días del accidente: “Se largó a llorar cuando le hablaron de las nenas”
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