Tampa Bay Times Editorial Tackles Prayer at High School Football Games

Written by Don ByrdIn Florida’s Pasco County, the battle over prayer at high school football games has been heating up, after House Speaker WIll Weatherford weighed in, arguing that coaches should be able to lead their team in prayer. An editorial in today’s Tampa Bay Times takes him to task and reminds readers what is at stake.

Arizona Appeals Court Approves Voucher Program Despite Religious Funding Concerns

Written by Don Byrd
In a unanimous ruling yesterday the Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the state’s education funding mechanism that allows parents of students with disabilities to spend public money on private school tuition, including religious education. Plaintiffs challenged the law, citing Arizona’s constitutional prohibition on funding for religion, but the court rejected that argument.The religious element of the education, the court seems to say, is only an incidental feature of the educational choice.

NYTimes: Supreme Court Should Let Employees Decide about Contraception

Written by Don Byrd
In an editorial this morning, the NYTimes takes on the issue of religious freedom in the contraception mandate. Many employers have argued – and one appeals court has agreed – that requiring them to provide health coverage that includes contraception violates their religious freedom rights. With the exemptions in place for houses of worship and other religious institutions, the Times editorial board says religious freedom is not the issue…

Lawsuit over Kansas Curriculum Says Evolution is Too Religious?

Written by Don Byrd
Is the science of evolution atheist? Surely not, right? Nothing about the theory of natural selection is incompatible with a belief in a higher power. Some in Kansas apparently believe otherwise, however, and have filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s science curriculum for, it claims, promoting a non-theistic religious view.

Kansas School Board Throws Caution to the Wind, Votes for Prayer at School Events

Written by Don Byrd
The school board in Liberal, Kansas met earlier this week and discussed the possibility of returning prayer to official school events including using the loudspeaker at football games for “student-led prayer.” After the suggestion was raised that they at least slow down to get a legal opinion first, the board decided to move ahead and vote for the prayer policy anyway.