--- title: Daily Update - February 16, 2026 description: Daily Update - February 16, 2026Limiting Religious Freedom of ParentsListen@the-wilmington-standard Transcript About Reuel Sample This is the Wilmington Standar... canonical_url: https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/podcast/the-daily-update/daily-update-february-16-2026 language: en-GB date: 2026-02-16T02:46:38Z notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/podcast/the-daily-update/daily-update-february-16-2026. Schema.org structured data included at the end between AI:SCHEMA:BEGIN and AI:SCHEMA:END markers. markdown-tokens: 1648 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/podcast/the-daily-update/daily-update-february-16-2026. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Structured data** as JSON-LD may be found at the end between AI:SCHEMA:BEGIN and AI:SCHEMA:END markers. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. ![Limiting Rights](https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/images/daily_update/2026/february/feb16/Daily%20Update-Feb162026-article.png) This is the Wilmington Standard Daily Update for Monday, February 16, 2026 A Massachusetts judge has ruled that a father cannot pull his 5-year-old son out of [kindergarten lessons](https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/education/curriculum) that include books addressing "gender stereotypes." According to [Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/media/massachusetts-judge-rules-father-cant-opt-5-year-old-son-out-kindergarten-books-gender-stereotypes), U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV ruled that a father’s religious rights extend only so far – and they certainly do not extend to books that address gender stereotypes. The father’s 5 year old son will now be forced to sit through readings of books that “rethinks and reframes the stereotypical blue/pink gender binary” or “invites children to examine what they're told ‘boy’ and ‘girl’ activities are.” At least one of the books is in partnership with GLAAD – the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation – probably the world’s largest pro-LGBTQ organization. The only good thing that came out of His Honor’s ruling is that parent’s still have the religious right to keep their kids away from books and lessons that overtly talk about homosexuality and transgenderism as being normal. So, there is that. Judge Saylor’s ruling is utterly ridiculous. The First Amendment – the free exercise of religious beliefs – has always had very few restrictions. For instance, if you believe God is calling you to kill a member of your family for walking away from your twisted religion – your freedom to practice your belief will be severely curtailed. If your church is in the middle of a hurricane evacuation zone – you probably will not be allowed to gather for worship. These are extreme – but realistic – scenarios. And they should rightly be prevented by judicial or legislative action. By his ruling, Judge Saylor is equating a father’s desire to teach his son gender values consistent with his religious beliefs to be the same as a Muslim father killing his daughter because she dated a Christian. The first is completely inline with our Constitution – the second is not. But not according to Judge Saylor who originally agreed with the father – only identified as Alan L – but in this latest ruling sides with the school district. Hopefully, Alan L will have the sense – and financial ability – to pull his son from the clutches of a public school education. Unlike North Carolina, Massachusetts is not firmly onboard with school vouchers that allows parents to choose what kind of schooling their children will receive. Massachusetts – of course – is firmly in the hands of Democrats who want to destroy any kind of gender normality and who know the best way to do it is through the vulnerability of our children. But the bigger lesson for us in New Hanover County is to be constantly on guard on what books our children have access to in our libraries and schools. We need to be constantly reinforcing the idea that while teachers might be subject experts in their fields – parents are the experts in their children – and in their religious beliefs. We need to elect officials who will always defer to these parental rights – which means electing Republicans. And perhaps we should even ask – why are these books in our schools in the first place. For the Wilmington Standard, I am Reuel Sample. 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