The total cost of Montgomery County Public Schools’ legal battle over storybooks is more than four times the previously announced $1.5 million payout to the families who sued.

On top of that sum, MCPS was ordered to pay attorneys fees for the families who sought to excuse their children from lessons at odds with their religious beliefs.

Those came out to $3.6 million, officials confirmed.

Then there’s the district’s own legal costs for defending itself: roughly $1.3 million.

All told, the lawsuit that found its way to the U.S. Supreme Court set the district back more than $6 million.

“With the legal process concluded, our focus remains on the steps that we have taken to meet the Court’s mandate,” district spokesperson Liliana López said in a statement.

The case began in 2023 after a group of religious parents sued for the right to opt their children out of lessons that included stories with LGBTQIA+ themes. The books cited in the lawsuit include one about a prince falling in love with a knight and another about a transgender boy sharing his identity with his family.

Lengthy back-and-forths followed, with the case eventually reaching the Supreme Court. In a 2025 opinion, a majority of justices sided with the parents.

“A government burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses ‘a very real threat of undermining’ the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote.

Eric Baxter, a lawyer who represented the families, said the case has implications for schools nationwide. Campuses and caregivers across the country are debating what children should be allowed to read to expose them to diverse viewpoints and experiences.

The large financial hit will put other school districts on notice, Baxter said.

“If they deny parents the right to opt their children out of instruction that violates their religious beliefs, they’ll face financial penalties for it,” he said.

The court case has had other lasting impacts on Maryland’s largest school district.

In August, school leaders rolled out the “Refrigerator Curriculum,” an online tool giving parents a brief overview of what students will be learning in each grading period. It includes links to all the selected texts, and parents can opt out if they have an objection to the material.

In a district of more than 156,000 students, 56 families submitted forms asking to excuse their children from reading books that conflict with their religious beliefs during the first semester, according to records reviewed by The Banner.

Most opt-outs came from elementary school parents, with objections generally centered around books with LGBTQIA+ characters, as well as those with themes of diversity.