Religious

Multi-Faith Families Challenge Texas Law Mandating Ten Commandments in Schools, Claiming Violations of Religious Freedom

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More than a dozen multi-faith families, including one from Fort Worth, Texas, have initiated legal action against 14 school districts in Tarrant County and several others across the state. The families, numbering 15 in total, filed their lawsuit on Monday in a San Antonio court challenging a recently enacted law that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. The suit targets districts such as Fort Worth, Arlington, Northwest, Mansfield, and Azle. It argues that the law infringes upon religious freedoms and violates the principle of separation between church and state. This … Read more

Legal Battle Brews in West Virginia Over Religious Exemptions to School Vaccination Rules

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A judge in Berkeley County is grappling with the intersection of religious freedoms and public health, following a hearing regarding school vaccination mandates. Judge Michael Lorensen indicated his hesitance to assert that West Virginia’s religious freedoms law has a direct bearing on compulsory vaccinations for schoolchildren. After a lengthy three-hour session, Lorensen opted against issuing a preliminary injunction that would require local school officials to accommodate requests for religious exemptions from nine families. While he scheduled a more comprehensive hearing for Nov. 12, he cautioned the families that their prospects did not … Read more

Controversial Hearing Explores Religious Vaccine Exemptions Amid Potential Surge in Requests

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BECKLEY, W.Va. — The second day of hearings regarding religious and philosophical vaccine exemptions has raised significant concerns about the potential repercussions of allowing two Raleigh County families to bypass the state’s vaccine mandate. The court must decide whether approval of these exemptions might lead to a wave of requests from additional families, potentially numbering as many as 570. The families in question are seeking an injunction to challenge the West Virginia State Board of Education’s refusal to grant their religious or philosophical exemptions in light of a recent executive order. This order, issued by … Read more

Federal Court Upholds Religious Freedom for Minnesota Colleges in Landmark Ruling on Dual Enrollment Program

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MINNEAPOLIS — A federal court has ruled that Minnesota religious colleges cannot be excluded from a state program designed to support dual enrollment for high school students, even if they require students to adhere to faith-based guidelines. U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel made the decision on Friday, overturning a recently enacted Minnesota law aimed at barring Christian colleges from imposing religious criteria. The law, which was passed in 2023 with support from a Democratic-controlled legislature, sought to create what advocates described as a more inclusive environment for non-Christian, LGBTQ+, and other diverse student populations. Educational … Read more