Last year, the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) focused on and was able to stop a Kansas public school from taking part in Operation Christmas Child (OCC), a yearly nonprofit activity supported by the Christian organization, Samaritan’s Purse. This case highlights the constitutional limits between public schools and religious practice. What Led to the Publication Read More

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently declined to hear the decision of a three-judge panel that decided a school district in Washington state was permitted to ban a football coach from taking a knee in personal prayer following a football game. This article examines this case and the implications that Read More

A challenge was recently made by a group of parents to a California ethnic studies model curriculum that suggests students engage in an Aztec prayer. The parents argue that the material violates both the U.S. and state Constitutions. How the Aztec prayer Case Arose At the center of this case is the Ethnic Studies Model Read More

In a major religious rights case about to be heard by the United States Supreme Court, a conservative-dominated court might move American law even further in support of religion. A current trend in the court is towards increased religious liberty rights. This case traces back to the 2014 Hobby Lobby ruling, which ruled in favor Read More

On October 4, 2021, the United States Supreme Court began its annual term with a busy agenda that involves three claims addressing alleged constitutional rights violations. One of the biggest cases involves abortion rights. Several states are currently requesting that the Supreme Court reconsider Roe v. Wade, a 1973 ruling that established the Constitutional right Read More

The Brunswick County, North Carolina Board of Education recently marked a substantial change when the group declined to pray at the outset of its routine May meeting. The board had revised its prayer practice to the neutral and more constitutionally permissible “moment of silence” several months earlier.       How the Case Arose Brunswick County board members Read More

According to a bill signed in late 2020 by Governor DeWine of Ohio, fetal remains from surgical abortions must be either buried or cremated. The non-theistic religious group, the Satanic Temple, however, is threatening legal action because the group argues that the state cannot dictate burial practices to religious organizations. This burial law brings up Read More

The Supreme Court of the United States recently turned down a request from a California church to block enforcement of state restrictions concerning attendance at religious services. In a 5-4 vote, Chief Justice Roberts joined the four liberals on the court to gain a majority to deny the church’s shutdown challenge. Meanwhile, Justices Thomas, Alito, Read More

Two recent cases (Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrisey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel) heard by the United States Supreme Court have dealt with the role of religious rights in this country. Both of these cases question if two Catholic school instructors qualify as “ministers,” and whether employment discrimination laws are therefore applicable. Read More

Several prayer videos created by two military chaplains offering Christian messaging during the coronavirus pandemic were recently removed from Facebook following complaints that this content constituted “illicit proselytizing” of Christianity. This situation serves as an interesting example of how interested parties view the role of the establishment clause during the pandemic. How Debate Over the Read More