Recognition of Religious Beliefs and Customs
Sunnyvale School District is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students. We understand and respect that families in our District hold sincerely held religious beliefs that may, at times, conflict with specific instructional content within our curriculum.
Consistent with Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 6141.2 and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, parents and guardians may request that their student be excused from specific instruction based on sincerely held religious beliefs.
An opt-out may be requested when the instruction substantially interferes with the religious development of the parent’s or guardian’s child or poses a very real threat of undermining the religious beliefs and practices the parent or guardian wishes to instill.
Parents and guardians seeking an opt-out must complete the District’s Religious Belief Opt-Out Form. The request must include:
- The specific instructional topic or material from which the parent or guardian is requesting that the student be excused.
- The specific religious belief, custom, or practice with which the instructional content or material substantially interferes.
- An explanation of how the instructional content or material substantially interferes with the religious upbringing of the student in accordance with the family’s sincerely held religious beliefs, including any relevant grade-level considerations or individual student characteristics.
Each request will be reviewed individually based on the identified religious beliefs and practices, the specific curriculum or instruction involved, the instructional context, and the student’s age. Submitting a request does not automatically excuse a student from the identified content.
The Director of Student Support Services will coordinate the review process. The District will review the request and relevant instructional materials, may consult with legal counsel as necessary, and will communicate its decision to the parent or guardian and the student’s teacher.
When an opt-out is granted, the school will provide an alternative educational activity without disciplinary action, academic penalty, or other sanction. Requests will be handled discreetly and respectfully, with every effort made to ensure that no student feels singled out or uncomfortable.
Families may revise or rescind an opt-out request at any time during the school year by providing written notice to the school office.
On August 13, 2026, the Sunnyvale School District Board of Trustees adopted Board Policy 6141.2 and Administrative Regulation 6141.2, Recognition of Religious Beliefs and Customs. The policy and regulation establish the District’s process for reviewing requests to opt students out of specific instruction based on sincerely held religious beliefs, consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor.
View Administrative Regulation 6141.2