Abortion is always a complex topic to discuss – no matter which side of the debate you find yourself on. It seems clear that some people will never agree on the outcome of Roe v. Wade or its recent overturning. While some states have continued to allow abortions, or even moved to expand abortion access, others have Read More

The history of education and religion in the United States are heavily intertwined, and religious schools have always fought for the ability to teach their own religious doctrines free from governmental interference, including most recently, the role of Title IX. The first schools in the nation were Christian, and they were established by groups such Read More

School workers are overlooking arguments raised by students who participated in a “Day of Hope” religious field trip. The students and their parents are arguing that the event was more a religious activity than either a career or a college event, which is how the event was billed. According to the school employees, the “Day Read More

In a split decision, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled in favor of a Texas judge who begins his court sessions with courtroom prayers. The court in this case, Freedom from Religion Foundation v. Mack, held that the judge did not violate the Constitution by performing these ceremonies. The appellate panel noted that the courtroom Read More

A bipartisan group of Senators voted to delay a bill that would guard the right to both interracial and same-sex marriage. Instead of voting on the measure, Chuck Schumer, who is the leader of the Senate majority, postponed a vote on the legislation until after the midterm elections. It was recently announced that the senate Read More

The Governor of West Virginia recently announced he had signed an abortion restriction into law which prohibits almost all abortions in the state, with exceptions for some medical emergencies, incest and rape. The legislature passed the measure, House Bill 302, during a special legislative session that made West Virginia the second state to pass a restrictive abortion Read More

In 2015, the United States Supreme Court issued the landmark decision of Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage throughout the country. Despite this Supreme Court decision, discrimination against same-sex couples remains in countless state constitutions, in the form of bans on same-sex marriage.  Virginia’s state constitution is one of the harshest when it comes Read More

This past June, the U.S. Supreme Court further eroded the separation between church and state by ruling that the state of Maine must fund private religious instruction if it also funds private secular instruction. In the case of Carson v. Makin, all six conservatives on the Supreme Court decided denying public funds to private religious Read More

Vermont’s Department for Children and Families began investigating a Christian school in Bennington last year over potential discrimination against LGBTQ+ students. After a former Vermont state secretary of education tweeted a screenshot of a page from a handbook published by the school which labeled homosexuality as “sinful and offensive to God,” the state began its investigation. The Read More

Virginia’s Governor recently signed a law supporting the Commonwealth’s guards for the exercise of religious freedom. The law explains that freedom of religion encompasses any faith expressions displayed outwardly. The measure, House Bill 1063, revises Virginia law in various realms, including employment, housing, and public accommodation. Virginia had previously not defined religion, and with this new bill Read More