In Pennsylvania, as in many other states, there is a law allowing for “released time” for public school students to receive religious instruction outside of school during the school day. For decades, the Pennsylvania State Police and PennDOT recognized that groups like Joy El Ministries may provide bus transportation for students to attend “released time” programs — only so long as they…
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All Americans should have the freedom to work without being forced to choose between their faith and their job. But that is the choice Gerald Groff’s employer forced him to make. Groff, a United States Postal Service worker firmly believes he must “emember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” When the post office began delivering Amazon packages on Sundays, Groff’s supervisor granted him an…
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303 Creative v. Elenis is the case of a Colorado website designer who is defending her right to use her artistic talents in a way that is consistent with her religious beliefs. After working for various businesses and organizations in marketing and graphic design, Lorie started her own business, 303 Creative, in order to have the freedom to use her artistic passion to convey and celebrate messages…
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Coach Joseph Kennedy was fired from his job as a high school football coach in the Bremerton School District after he knelt at midfield after games to offer a quiet personal prayer. The school allowed other on-duty employees to engage in personal secular conduct at the time but would not allow Coach Kennedy to engage in his personal religious conduct. The Free Exercise and Free…
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Peter Vlaming, a high school French teacher in Virginia, was terminated from his job at West Point High School because he could not comply with the school board’s ultimatum that he use male pronouns to refer to a female student who identified as male. Mr. Vlaming extended every reasonable accommodation to his student, including using the student’s preferred name and attempting to avoid…
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Dr. Nicolas Meriwether, a philosophy professor, was punished by Shawnee State University because he declined a male student’s demand to be referred to as a woman, with feminine titles and feminine pronouns. Dr. Meriwether offered to use the student’s first or last name, but Shawnee State University and the student demanded the professor speak and act contrary to the truth, his philosophical…
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