Written by Don ByrdNearly three years ago, the school board of Pocono Mountain, Pennsylvania voted to rescind the license of the Pocono Mountain Charter School. The decision followed an investigation that revealed the school was sending taxpayer money to a church run by the head of the school, Dennis Bloom. The appeal of that revocation has taken years to complete, (during which time Reverend Bloom pled guilty to tax evasion charges), but today the State’s Charter Appeal Board voted 7-0 to revoke the school’s charter.
Written by Don ByrdAccording to the Phoenix Business Journal, the religious discrimination in the workplace claim against Arizona’s Swift Aviation has settled for $50,000. Supervisors in the company were accused of harassing a Muslim employee in a lawsuit brought by the EEOC.
Written by Don ByrdA New Orleans city ordinance that has been used to arrest street preachers on Bourbon Street was amended by the City Council last week in an effort to make the legislation constitutional. The original law barred “aggressive solicitation” on Bourbon Street after dark by outlawing any use of the area “for the purpose of disseminating any social, political or religious message.” A couple of lawsuits later, the language has been changed.
Written by Don ByrdThe latest development in the court battles over the contraception mandate is an important one. The Third Circuit, affirming the trial court’s refusal to bar enforcement of the mandate against Conestoga Wood Specialties Corporation, has ruled that a for-profit, secular corporation like Conestoga cannot exercise religion, and thus is not covered by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Written by Don ByrdIn 2006, Vietnam was removed from the U.S. State Department’s list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) following the country’s softening of religious persecution. Unfortunately, the step forward may not have lasted. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom recommends Vietnam’s return to the CPC list.
President Truong Tan Sang is visiting the White House today to meet with President Obama, and met with Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday. Many advocates are urging the White House to use this occasion to press the President on the issues of religious liberty and free speech.
