Written by Don ByrdNext month, the U.S. Supreme Court will be hearing oral argument in the church-state case Town of Greece v. Galloway. For the first time in 30 years, the Court will weigh in on the constitutional questions surrounding legislative prayer, official invocations opening government meetings like the city council meetings at issue in this case. The Baptist Joint Committee has long opposed the practice of opening meetings with sectarian prayer, filing a brief with the court in this case detailing that opposition from a religious perspective.
Written by Don ByrdA Native-American inmate in Texas has waited 4 years to obtain a small lock of his deceased parents’ hair to stay connected with their spirits according to his religious beliefs. The state has refused William Chance’s request, citing security concerns, leading him to file suit under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. After the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the state’s motion to dismiss that claim, Chance’s case is headed to trial in January.
Written by Don ByrdTomorrow, the Washington State Supreme Court will hear an interesting case that may determine the extent to which that state’s anti-discrimination laws require religious accommodation. Plaintiffs have recourse to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to file workplace discrimination complaints through the EEOC, but the level of state law protection in Washington is unclear. Most presumed that the state’s anti-discrimination law required some workplace accommodation, but a ruling last year by a state appeals court dismissed a complaint on the grounds that the state had not officially recognized an accommodation requirement.
Written by Don ByrdThe Texas Tribune reports on a growing trend in the state’s education system: religious schools and school facilities transitioning to charter schools, where they receive public funding. Many charter academies focus on a language immersion, and must teach the culture of the country where the language is spoken, but must avoid religious education. The article profiles the Eleanor Kolitz Hebrew Language Academy.
