Maryland

Maryland sex curriculum conflict is a battle of vulnerabilities

Published

2 years ago

June 26, 2023

Maryland sex curriculum conflict is a battle of vulnerabilities

This school year, Maryland’s Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), one of the largest school districts in the country, instituted a curriculum whose selection for pre-K, “Pride Puppy,” encourages 3-year-olds to search for images of the “‘intersex [flag],’ a ‘[drag] king,’ ‘leather,’ ‘underwear,’ and a celebrated sex worker.”

Resource guides for children’s books on transgender people instruct the teacher to tell students that people only “guess” gender based on body parts. What’s more, religious parents with opposing beliefs about gender are no longer permitted to opt their child out of the elementary curriculum.

Now, there is a pending lawsuit by Muslim and Christian parents against MCPS. And at a recent Board of Education meeting, Muslim families testified about their concerns, only to be told by one council member, Kristin Mink, that (the entirely brown or Black) Muslim families were on the “same side” as “white supremacists.” She has since understandably expressed regret for saying such a thing.

Evidently preposterous on its face, Mink’s statement also got to the core of the conflict: a clash of victimhood and a stark inability to value the religious vulnerabilities at the core of the dispute.

Mink went on to say, “[T]o allow Muslim families to opt their children out of those books … harm[s] the LGBTQIA+ community.” Meanwhile, Muslim students also shared stories of harm. For example, one student spoke of religious students “being bullied when they say this is against my religion.”

Each side feels deeply wronged, as if the other’s position inherently legitimizes harm to their children and to their community. Such competing victimhood is a common dynamic that functions across multiple chasms — between American Muslims and white conservative Christians and between gay rights activists and religious Americans who have traditional views about marriage and sexuality. In each scenario, the parties devolve into warring factions, incapable and unwilling to speak across vulnerabilities because of entrenched divides.

The MCPS context is, however, importantly different. The protesting Muslim families have consistently acknowledged the importance of inclusivity and fellowship with students and families potentially marginalized due to sexual identity. As MCPS middle school student Saad Baig testified June 6, “I’m not here to take away the right of anyone being recognized in the community.” Similarly, community member Hamza Ewing emphasized that: “Our stance, as stated clearly, is not to remove LGBTQ material from the MCPS curriculum. … We are not spreading hatred … and, in fact, we firmly stand against hate speech or the degradation of any human being.”

In contrast, there has been scant consideration of the deep relevance of religion — including religious beliefs about gender and sexuality — to the lives of Muslim, Christian and other religious families at MCPS. Religious parents seeking to opt their children out of the sex curriculum have been portrayed as “brainwashed” and “hateful.” One member of the Board of Education said religious families are seeking a “dehumanizing form of erasure.” The rhetoric consistently reflects a dismissive attitude, a sense that the harm to religious families is unimportant — or worse yet, not even real.

The myopia is startling. Multiple aspects of the curriculum are deeply impactful to religious families with traditional views of not just gender and sexuality but also on the appropriate role of parents (and schoolteachers) in their children’s lives. Three-year-olds are being taught vocabulary such as “cis-gender” and “pansexual.” The fourth grade curriculum instructs the teacher to explore their students’ romantic attractions, including same-sex attractions. With a book about two girls finding love on a playground, the teacher is to invite students to “acknowledg[e] how uncomfortable we might [be]… when we feel our heart beating ‘thumpity thump’ & how hard it can be [to] talk about our feelings with someone that we don’t just ‘like’ but we ‘like like.’”

Fifth graders are to read a book about a young girl who believes she’s transgender and is encouraged on this path by parents who don’t ask questions and instead embrace a “child-knows-best approach,” which is complemented by a “school-knows-best-approach.” The curriculum prioritizes the teachers’ role in these intimate aspects of young children’s lives and deprioritizes parents. In fact, if parents are not fully affirming of children’s self-diagnosis, this curriculum directly makes them the objects of opposition.

The tension inherent in religious dissent to this sexual curriculum is not a black-and-white issue. The approach to it as such makes it even more difficult to find workable solutions. And to even begin to understand the nuances, the other side must be seen as worthy of engagement.

It should never be acceptable to dismiss sincere religious concerns as akin to “white supremacism,” and to selectively focus on the harm to only one side of a dispute. Both sides stand to be harmed, and neither can nor should claim “harm” completely. To survive these ongoing political contests, we must have the capacity to listen to others’ stories on their terms, not on our own.

Asma T. Uddin is an attorney and author of “The Politics of Vulnerability: How to Heal Muslim-Christian Relations in a Post-Christian America.”

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Maryland

Maryland Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for May 23, 2025

Published

13 hours ago

May 24, 2025

Press Room

Maryland Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for May 23, 2025

The Maryland Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at May 23, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 23 drawing

07-18-40-55-68, Mega Ball: 18

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 23 drawing

Midday: 9-3-0

Evening: 5-8-0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 23 drawing

Midday: 7-8-2-0

Evening: 8-5-3-2

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from May 23 drawing

Midday: 6-0-9-9-7

Evening: 6-2-3-9-9

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from May 23 drawing

12-31-37-53-59, Cash Ball: 01

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from May 23 drawing

9 a.m.: 12

1 p.m.: 04

6 p.m.: 11

11 p.m.: 01

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Bonus Match 5 numbers from May 23 drawing

04-06-13-16-34, Bonus: 31

Check Bonus Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Keno

Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Maryland Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes above $600, winners can claim by mail or in person from the Maryland Lottery office, an Expanded Cashing Authority Program location or cashiers’ windows at Maryland casinos. Prizes over $5,000 must be claimed in person.

Claiming by Mail

Sign your winning ticket and complete a claim form. Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued ID and a copy of a document that shows proof of your Social Security number or Federal Tax ID number. Mail these to:

Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center

1800 Washington Boulevard

Suite 330

Baltimore, MD 21230

For prizes over $600, bring your signed ticket, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of your Social Security or Federal Tax ID number to Maryland Lottery headquarters, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD. Claims are by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This location handles all prize amounts, including prizes over $5,000.

Winning Tickets Worth $25,000 or Less

Maryland Lottery headquarters and select Maryland casinos can redeem winning tickets valued up to $25,000. Note that casinos cannot cash prizes over $600 for non-resident and resident aliens (tax ID beginning with “9”). You must be at least 21 years of age to enter a Maryland casino. Locations include:

Horseshoe Casino: 1525 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD
MGM National Harbor: 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD
Live! Casino: 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD
Ocean Downs Casino: 10218 Racetrack Road, Berlin, MD
Hollywood Casino: 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, MD
Rocky Gap Casino: 16701 Lakeview Road NE, Flintstone, MD

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Maryland Lottery.

When are the Maryland Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 11 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 Midday: 12:27 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 12:28 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.
Pick 3, 4 and 5 Evening: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Cash4Life: 9 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop: 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
Bonus Match 5: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
MultiMatch: 7:56 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
Powerball Double Play: 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Maryland editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Maryland

NCAA tournament semifinal preview: No. 2-seed Maryland vs. No. 6-seed Syracuse

Published

1 day ago

May 23, 2025

Press Room

NCAA tournament semifinal preview: No. 2-seed Maryland vs. No. 6-seed Syracuse

Coming off a win in Annapolis that sends No. 2-seed Maryland men’s lacrosse to the Final Four, head coach John Tillman quoted an old Navy SEAL adage to describe how his team handles the pressure of playing on lacrosse’s final weekend for yet another season.

“‘The only easy day is yesterday’… we can kind of fall back on [our slogan], be the best,” Tillman said.

Maryland is close to definitively proving themselves the best — a win Saturday books a place in the national championship game. But the semifinal, with so much on the line, brings sharply into focus the decisions of Maryland lacrosse 24 years ago.

In 2001, Maryland men’s lacrosse left no stone unturned searching for head coach Dick Edell’s replacement. Gary Gait, now No. 6-seed Syracuse’s head coach, was an assistant coach for Maryland women’s lacrosse and wanted the step up. Ultimately, they chose Dave Cottle; Gait said Tuesday he left Maryland because he did not get the men’s job.

While Cottle’s uninspiring tenure left Maryland faithful regretting the choice, his successor has eased complaints. Tillman has won 78% of his games with the Terps. Maryland is in the Final Four for the 11th time in his 15 seasons in charge.

The Terps and the Orange face off in the NCAA semifinals at 2:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. The game will be shown on ESPN2.

What happened last time

Gait got his spot at the helm of a men’s program at Syracuse in 2022. Since then, the Orange are winless in four matchups against the Terps, including an 11-7 Maryland win on February 15.

That game — one of four against soon-to-be NCAA quarterfinalists that Maryland played in its first five weeks — began close. Neither team led by more than one goal before halftime, and momentum swung from Syracuse to Maryland and back.

A 4-0 Maryland run to open the second half blew the game open. Notably, that run featured two man-up goals. Maryland usually plays clean games — the Terps have 25 penalties called both for and against them on the season — but Syracuse has committed 66 penalties this season, sixth-most in the nation.

And with the offense creating some separation, Maryland’s defense took control in the second half. In its first outdoor game on the season, with rain pouring down, Syracuse scored twice over the final 30 minutes.

What’s happened since

Maryland has stayed the course throughout the year, coming up just short to Ohio State for both the Big Ten’s regular season and tournament titles but persevering into the final weekend as has been customary.

The Terps’ defense is a known quantity — second-best in the country in goals against — but their offense is not as steady, plagued by down stretches throughout the season and uninspiring play at times. Between the two, Maryland’s methodical pace has earned the ire of neutrals.

“To be honest, we’d rather play fast than slow. I think any coach would,” Tillman said. “But we’re always going to play the style that, you know, is in front of us.”

The 13-5 Orange have had a turbulent season, with long winning streaks offset by slumps. A week after losing to the Terps, Syracuse lost a one-goal game to Harvard at home. From there, they strung together a six-game winning streak; back-to-back-to-back losses to Cornell, North Carolina and Duke rounded out the regular season and made many question their postseason potential.

Since then, though, Syracuse has been orange-hot. Wins against Notre Dame and Duke secured the ACC Tournament crown. In the NCAAs, Syracuse exacted its revenge on Harvard in overtime before escaping one of those neutrals-endearing dramatic shootouts over No. 6-seed Princeton. Curiously, all of Syracuse’s last three victories have come by a single goal.

“We found a way to win these close games and make plays when we need them,” Gait said. “I think that’s been the journey of the season.”

Three things to know

1. Faceoff watch. Jonah Carrier tied his season-high with nine faceoff wins against Georgetown in the quarterfinal. Conversely, after winning eight of nine against Air Force in the opening round, Shea Keethler won none of his six faceoff attempts against the Hoyas.

Syracuse’s John Mullen leads the country with 175 ground balls — 22 clear of second place — and is fifth in the country with a 63.9% win rate from the X. The Massachusetts native is a force in the circle, but Maryland has shown that they can compete with him.

Shea Keethler won 50% of his faceoffs against Mullen in February. Carrier had not broken into the lineup yet; in his stead, Sean Creter won four of nine.

2. Every possession counts. Syracuse and Maryland enter Saturday’s matchup as the third and fourth best teams in the nation in turnovers per game, each averaging roughly 13.5 per game. More Syracuse turnovers (21.4%) than Maryland turnovers (13.7%) come from clears, but each team missed just one clear in February. Neither team is likely to gift the other an opportunity to take an advantage.

3. How do you handle Joey Spallina? Syracuse’s No. 22 has been a force this season. Spallina leads the nation with 54 assists, but he’s a shooter, too, having scored four goals from 10 shots in the quarterfinals. The junior is streaky, and he’s been accused of not showing up when it matters. But with Will Schaller possibly needing to stick to Owen Hiltz, the Orange’s top goalscorer, how Spallina fares against Maryland’s other close defenders could decide the game.

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Maryland

New Maryland athletic director Jim Smith is ready to focus on increasing revenue

Published

2 days ago

May 22, 2025

Press Room

New Maryland athletic director Jim Smith is ready to focus on increasing revenue

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland’s new athletic director certainly understands the job description in 2025.

“We’re going to focus on revenue, because make no mistake about it, to compete with the caliber of schools, not just in the Big Ten but across the country, we must increase our revenues,” Jim Smith said while being formally introduced Thursday. “We’re going to be trying a few new things — I’m not going to tell anyone any of them today — taking new approaches, applying what I’ve learned from professional leagues.”

Maryland hired Smith last week, wrapping up a fairly turbulent couple months for the athletic department. In March, athletic director Damon Evans left for SMU, and around the same time, men’s basketball coach Kevin Willard departed to take the Villanova job. The Terps quickly hired Buzz Williams away from Texas A&M to replace Willard.

Smith arrives from baseball’s Atlanta Braves, where he was the senior vice president of business strategy. He’s also been president and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association, and he’s held senior executive positions at Arthur M. Blank Sports & Entertainment, in charge of revenue and marketing for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United.

“I think you can see his vision is next level, outside the box,” Maryland women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese said. “It’s a unique hire that in these changing times I think is much warrented.”

Smith’s challenge is to help Maryland compete — both on the field and in the athletic department’s coffers — with schools like Michigan and Ohio State. He said when he started with the Falcons they were near the bottom of the NFL in revenue.

“If you’re committed and you’re focused to the goals, you will achieve. That’s what we slowly did in Atlanta,” Smith said. “There’s no silver bullets from going towards the bottom of the Big Ten to the top of the Big Ten, from a revenue (standpoint). But there’s a lot of opportunity here.”

As college sports enter a new era expected to involve revenue sharing with players, the ability to bring in money can feel like an existential issue.

“I think if you were to say four years ago, this job is different and I’m not the candidate,” Smith said. “I think it’s just evolved to the point today where it requires someone who understands how a campus operates and can bring in different experience on how to generate additional revenue.”

Maryland has won national titles in both men’s and women’s basketball in the last quarter-century, and the men’s lacrosse team is playing in the Final Four this weekend. But football — and even basketball at times — have struggled to compete for fan attention in an area with plenty of pro teams.

“We’re going to focus on filling SECU Stadium and Xfinity Center with Terp fans, and we’re going to give the best fan experience in the country,” Smith said.

Willard complained openly about the level of support he received from the athletic department before he left, and coach Mike Locksley’s football team finished 4-8 last season — although he has local quarterback recruit Malik Washington now.

“Coach Locks and I have talked a lot about where we are as a program. I think he feels really good with the recruits that we’ve brought in,” Smith said. “Part of it is our responsibility, to make sure that he’s got the funding that’s necessary to compete at the level with the other Big Ten programs.”

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