Legal Archives - American Atheists

American Atheists Celebrates Restoration of Religious Freedom Protections for Recipients of Federally Funded Social Services

American Atheists — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 13:30:24 +0000

Washington, D.C. – Today, American Atheists praised the Biden Administration for its issuance of final rules restoring critical religious equality and civil rights protections for millions of Americans who receive government-funded social services. “The Biden administration has taken a vital step towards fulfilling its promise – and this nation’s promise – of equality under the law regardless of one’s religious or nonreligious beliefs,” said Alison Gill, Vice President of Legal and Policy at American Atheists. “I am pleased to see leaders in Washington re-prioritizing Americans in need, and protecting their constitutional rights over the interests of faith-based entities that receive millions of taxpayer dollars every year.” The final rules rescind and replace harmful Trump-era policies that undermined Americans’ constitutional rights and stripped away much-needed safeguards against religious-based discrimination. In 2021, American Atheists constituents submitted nearly 25,000 comments opposing the Trump administration’s changes, and the organization joined a broad coalition of civil rights and religious equality advocacy groups that filed suit to stop their implementation. Gill noted, “The previous administration’s rules not only undermined Americans’ constitutional rights but also made it unnecessarily burdensome for some of nation’s most vulnerable populations to access essential, taxpayer-funded programs and services – from shelters for the unhoused and survivors of domestic violence to food banks, job training, education programs, and elder care.” In 2023, American Atheists submitted comments in support of the regulations proposed by the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and offered amendments to further strengthen nondiscrimination protections for nonreligious Americans, writing, “American Atheists believes that government programs should be inclusive and accessible to people regardless of their religious beliefs or lack thereof.” Jointly issued by nine federal agencies, the final rules will require government-funded social service providers to inform beneficiaries of their legal rights to be free from religious-based discrimination and forced participation in prayer or other religious programming. “We are relieved and grateful the Biden administration has affirmed that religion is not a license to discriminate,” said Nick Fish, President of American Atheists. “Whether they are faith-based or not, any organization that receives taxpayer dollars should never be in the business of discriminating, denying care, or forcing Americans to participate in religious programming in order to access essential services to which they are entitled.” The final rules will take effect on April 3, 2024.

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American Atheists Wins in West Virginia Religious Coercion Lawsuit

American Atheists — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 14:55:09 +0000

Charleston, WV — American Atheists announced today a resounding victory in its federal lawsuit, in partnership with Mountain State Justice, against the leadership of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (WVDCR) in April 2023 on behalf of Andrew Miller, an atheist and Secular Humanist who was forced to engage in religious activities as a condition of parole. “We’ve said it before, but no one should be forced to sacrifice their moral or religious beliefs in order to be released from incarceration,” said Lesley Nash, an attorney with Mountain State Justice, who served as local counsel in this case. “We’re pleased the Court acted to protect Andrew’s rights when WVDCR would not.” Mr. Miller was officially released under West Virginia’s Non-Violent Offender Parole Program in October. In addition, the WVDCR removed its requirement that participants attend religious 12-step meetings and removed religious components from its federally funded Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program (RSAT) handbook. The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation also agreed to pay $80,000 in legal fees to Mountain State Justice and American Atheists. “This is, of course, a tremendous victory for Andrew, who is finally free, but also a complete vindication of his and other nonreligious Americans’ rights under the law,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel for American Atheists. “And yet, if the WVDCR had acted properly, Andrew may well have been released much sooner. Rather than cave to West Virginia’s unconstitutional religious coercion, he took a principled stand and fought to defend his First Amendment rights.” The lawsuit alleged, and the state did not dispute, that Mr. Miller’s conscientious refusal to complete the pervasively religious RSAT program was a significant contributing factor in the West Virginia Parole Board Panel’s decision to deny him parole on three occasions. In doing so, the WVDCR violated his constitutional rights as well as rights guaranteed by the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). In July of this year, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin issued a sweeping 60-page decision, denying dismissing West Virginia’s motion to dismiss the case, finding Mr. Miller’s claims to be “likely–if not inevitable” to succeed. The judge also issued a preliminary injunction requiring WVDCR officials to remove completion of the state’s RSAT Program from Mr. Miller’s parole eligibility requirements. Judge Goodwin wrote that the injunction “would do no more than require the defendants to fulfill their existing constitutional obligations” and highlighted the “undeniably religious nature of the program.” It included the mandatory recitation of Christian prayers during meetings and overtly religious content in the course material, which was primarily developed by Texas Christian University. Courts around the country have repeatedly reached the conclusion that 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are religious and cannot be forced on people by the government. The “Big Book” of Alcoholics Anonymous includes a chapter that tells “atheists and agnostics they are ‘doomed to an alcohol death’ unless they ‘seek Him.’” The chapter goes on to deride the nonreligious as “handicapped by obstinacy, sensitiveness, and unreasoning prejudice.” Following his release, Mr. Miller said, “The harm inflicted by these programs is very real. I was, for a period of […]

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Fort Worth Atheists Launch Billboard Campaign. Lawsuit Continues.

American Atheists — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 21:06:33 +0000

Fort Worth, Texas—The North Texas atheist group Metroplex Atheists has launched a billboard campaign to promote their educational event, “Keep God Out of Our Public Schools.” On Sunday, District Judge Reed O’Connor denied them a preliminary injunction to post banners on downtown lampposts. Nonetheless, the billboard campaign, which will run until August 24, will help promote the August 26 event. In addition, the lawsuit will continue as planned. Metroplex Atheists is represented by American Atheists and local counsel Glast, Phillips & Murray with substantial assistance from the American Humanist Association. “This is a temporary setback. We will continue our lawsuit on behalf of all the atheists who have suffered discrimination—in Fort Worth, in Texas, and all throughout our country,” said Umair Khan, president of Metroplex Atheists. “We deserve the same rights and respect as all other groups, and that’s what this lawsuit has always been about.” “We’d like to thank the outpouring of support from the community,” he added. “This litigation is exposing discrimination, and in doing so, it will help move our city and state toward more equality and justice.” In a letter to the editor, Dallas resident Bonnie Canelakes called out officials for discriminating against atheists “who don’t choose to join or believe what the city thinks they should.” “The atheists are right on this one. Fort Worth got it wrong,” wrote the Dallas Morning News Editorial Board. “This is clearly a free speech issue,” agreed the Star-Telegram Editorial Board. “We think it would have been better to err on the side of more speech, not less.” “Atheists have a right to be heard. The sort of silencing and discrimination Fort Worth atheists experienced is not an isolated incident. We see it all the time,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel for American Atheists. “The discrimination atheists are subject to often goes unnoticed by our fellow citizens who are religious. This mistreatment impacts almost every part of daily life, be it within our families, in education, on the job, in the military, during substance abuse treatments, and especially at the hands of government officials.” In 2019, American Atheists conducted the U.S. Secular Survey, which canvassed nearly 34,000 nonreligious Americans. The resulting report, Reality Check: Being Nonreligious in America, found that anti-atheist stigma and discrimination were widespread in all areas of life. For example, 19.1% of participants reported negative experiences when accessing private businesses, such as the services provided by Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., which manages the city’s discriminatory program. In very religious communities, including many areas of Texas, this type of discrimination by private businesses was twice as prevalent than in less religious areas. “Treating all members of a community—whether atheist, LGBTQ, or another minority group—with dignity and respect improves society overall,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists and a co-author of the report. “Unfortunately, Christian nationalist activists and lawmakers spend more time silencing those they disagree with and stigmatizing minority groups than caring about residents’ well-being. The fight continues. We refuse to let discrimination win out.” The dangers of Christian nationalism will be the focus of Metroplex Atheists’ August 26 event: […]

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WV Court Blocks Unconstitutional Prison Program Targeting Incarcerated Atheist

American Atheists — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 04:18:05 +0000

Charleston, WV — In a sweeping 60-page decision issued yesterday, a federal judge ruled in favor of Andrew Miller, an atheist and Secular Humanist, who has been forced to participate in religious substance abuse treatment activities as a condition for his parole. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin issued a preliminary injunction requiring officials with the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (WVDCR) to remove completion of the state’s Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program from Mr. Miller’s parole eligibility requirements. “This is a complete vindication of Andrew’s rights under the law,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel for American Atheists. “As Judge Goodwin said in his ruling, if Andrew had not stood up for his rights and instead allowed West Virginia to force this religious programming on him, it’s entirely possible he would already have been released. That’s not a choice anyone should have to make.” Miller has been interviewed three times by the West Virginia Parole Board Panel and was denied parole each time. The lawsuit alleges, and the state does not dispute, that his failure to complete the pervasively religious RSAT program contributed significantly to the Board’s decision to deny him parole. “Without Andrew’s willingness to take on this fight, West Virginia would continue to unconstitutionally impose religion on people in its corrections system,” added Blackwell. In the opinion granting the preliminary injunction, Judge Goodwin denied West Virginia’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, finding that all of Andrew’s claims were “likely—if not inevitable” to succeed on the merits. Goodwin highlighted the “undeniably religious nature of the program,” including pervasive religious content in the course material, mandatory prayers during meetings, and a chapter that “tells atheists and agnostics they are ‘doomed to an alcoholic death’ unless they ‘seek Him.’” In directing that WVDCR remove requirements that Andrew complete the RSAT program in order to be eligible for parole, Judge Goodwin found that the “injunction would do no more than require the defendants to fulfill their existing constitutional obligations.” “As we said when we filed this case, no one should be forced to set aside their moral or religious creed as a precondition of their parole,” said Lesley Nash, an attorney with Mountain State Justice, who is serving as local counsel in this case. “We’re pleased that the Court acted to protect Andrew’s rights when WVDCR has not.” American Atheists is promoting state-level legislation that would require criminal justice systems to inform defendants and those who are incarcerated of their right to access a secular recovery option as an alternative to religious programs like Alcoholics Anonymous or West Virginia’s RSAT. One bill has passed in New York and is on its way to Governor Hochul’s desk, and another has been introduced in Michigan. “It’s clear that religious coercion is an all-too-common issue in our nation’s criminal justice system,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “This is a step in the right direction, but it’s long overdue that we push for big, systemic changes to finally fix this. We shouldn’t have to file lawsuit after lawsuit to force the government to do the right thing: protecting the […]

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Atheist Group Files Federal Lawsuit Against City of Fort Worth

American Atheists — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 17:47:40 +0000

Fort Worth, TX—Today, the North Texas atheist group Metroplex Atheists filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Fort Worth. The group is represented by American Atheists, the American Humanist Association, and local counsel Glast, Phillips & Murray. The complaint accuses the City of discriminating against atheists and violating their freedom of speech. Since at least 1998, Fort Worth has permitted nonprofit organizations to rent out space on downtown lamp posts to advertise events. These nonprofits include Kenneth Copeland Ministries and Texas Christian University. By its policy, the City has created a limited public forum under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and may not discriminate based on viewpoint, which includes atheism. The Supreme Court recently confirmed these protections in its 2022 decision Shurtleff v. Boston. Nonetheless, the City of Fort Worth has denied Metroplex Atheists the right to advertise an event on combating Christian nationalism and protecting secular public schools, planned for August 26 at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. Assistant City Manager William Johnson, who denied the banner display, claimed that the education event was not of “sufficient magnitude.” Yet nowhere does the City’s Banner Display Policy mention such a requirement. “We did everything to meet the City of Fort Worth’s Banner Policy. We were denied purely on trumped-up claims nowhere in the policy, to disguise their prejudice,” said Umair Khan, President of Metroplex Atheists and a Texas assistant state director of American Atheists. “The City of Fort Worth’s decision infringes upon our fundamental constitutional rights. This authoritarian and theocratic action enables Christian nationalist groups to attack the democratic rights of all citizens and our public schools–which is the focus of our seminar.” In 2019, the City of Fort Worth allowed Metroplex Atheists to post banners under this program. The organization’s striking banners, “In No God We Trust,” made national headlines and led to a number of complaints. The mayor at the time, Betsy Price, said on Twitter, “While many of us may not agree with the message, the organization did follow policies and procedures … We must respect freedom of speech.” “Free speech is free speech, whether or not the government likes that speech or certain members of the community object to it,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel at American Atheists, who wrote the complaint. “The City of Fort Worth’s attempt to silence atheists for opposing theocracy is textbook viewpoint discrimination.” Metroplex Atheists is seeking injunctive relief directing the City of Fort Worth to approve the organization’s application and display the banners from August 8 to 22, injunctive relief preventing Fort Worth from excluding Metroplex Atheists in the future, and damages and attorney fees. The suit has been filed in the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, and is case 4:23-cv-00736-O. Download the complaint here.

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American Atheists Claims Victory for Removal of “In God We Trust” from Mississippi’s Standard License Plate

American Atheists — Wed, 24 May 2023 16:04:16 +0000

Jackson, Mississippi—Today, the church-state separation watchdog American Atheists claimed victory in its goal to remove mandatory “In God We Trust” language from Mississippi’s official license plate. In June 2021, American Atheists filed a lawsuit against the state of Mississippi on behalf of the Mississippi Humanist Association and three nonreligious Mississippi residents, accusing Mississippi officials of violating nonreligious people’s freedoms of speech and religion by forcing them to display “In God We Trust” on their personal vehicles. On May 2 of this year, Mississippi officials released a new standard license plate design without this required religious message. As a result, American Atheists has withdrawn its federal lawsuit. “Mississippi officials did exactly what we wanted—and more. We had simply asked that they make a free alternative license plate available for nonreligious Mississippians. But they went the extra mile and completely removed ‘In God We Trust’ from the upcoming 2024 design,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel for American Atheists. “Governor Reeves made the right decision and respected all Mississippians’ beliefs and rights with this new license plate. Mississippians will no longer be forced to act as billboards for the state’s preferred Christian message. This is a victory for free speech and religious freedom.” The phrase “In God We Trust” is rooted in deep hostility toward atheists and members of minority religions. The phrase was first included on coins in the 1860s in order to “relieve [the U.S.] from the ignominy of heathenism,” according to Treasury Department records. In 1956, Congress enacted “In God We Trust” as the new national motto in order to differentiate the United States from the “godless” Soviets. Governor Tate Reeves himself has repeatedly expressed hostility toward atheists—both on social media and on television. In a 2019 commercial for his reelection campaign, he boasted about the “In God We Trust” license plate as he affixed one to a vehicle. In the video, Reeves equated this phrase with “Mississippi’s values,” insinuating that only Christians are real Mississippians. “‘In God We Trust’ is a stain on our country’s history. For too long, politicians have used this religious message to portray non-Christians as insufficiently American,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “We are pleased that Governor Tate Reeves has seen the error of his ways and has discontinued the use of ‘In God We Trust’ on Mississippi license plates. The new magnolia-themed design is inclusive of all Mississippians—whether Christian, nonreligious, or a religious minority. This is a step in the right direction for Mississippi.” Before the 2024 plate is available, American Atheists has secured protections for Mississippi drivers at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. Judge Carlton W. Reeves ruled in March of this year that, in the meantime, drivers may cover up “In God We Trust” on their license plates so long as they don’t obscure the letters and numbers that identify their vehicles. “If you’d like to take a black marker to ‘In God We Trust’ and scribble it out, you may legally do so in the state of Mississippi,” said Blackwell. He encourages any driver who is pulled over, harassed, or faces discrimination […]

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American Atheists Sues West Virginia for Forcing Religion on Incarcerated People

American Atheists — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 20:29:02 +0000

Charleston, WV—Today, the civil rights organization American Atheists filed a federal lawsuit against the leadership of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (WVDCR). American Atheists is representing Andrew Miller, an atheist and Secular Humanist whom the defendants are forcing to participate in religious activities in order to be eligible for parole. Despite repeated requests, the defendants have failed to accommodate his Secular Humanist beliefs. Mountain State Justice will serve as local counsel for this matter. The lawsuit alleges violations of Andrew’s constitutional rights and his rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). American Atheists is seeking a preliminary injunction preventing WVDCR officials from penalizing Andrew for exercising his rights as an atheist and Secular Humanist. Andrew first encountered religious coercion in June 2021, upon entering West Virginia’s Saint Marys Correctional Center and Jail corrections facility, where he was required to practice Christianity. In order to be considered for parole, Andrew must complete the state’s federally funded Residential Substance Use Treatment (RSAT) program, which is infused with Christian practices. For example, the RSAT reading material itself is overwhelmingly Christian, and much of it was developed by Texas Christian University. Further, the RSAT program requires attendance at daily Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous meetings, which include recitation of the Serenity Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer. Multiple courts have determined that twelve-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are pervasively religious. “West Virginia, like too many states, is forcing Christianity on the people incarcerated in their facilities as a condition of release,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel for American Atheists. “Attacks like this on the rights of atheists, humanists, and any non-Christian person who interacts with the West Virginia Division of Corrections are ongoing and widespread. For many corrections officials, spreading religious propaganda is more important than respecting people’s rights or the Constitution.” “No one should be compelled to sacrifice their moral or religious creed to obtain release from incarceration in West Virginia. Mountain State Justice is proud to work with American Atheists to stand up for Mr. Miller’s right to follow his conscience and Secular Humanist beliefs,” said Lesley Nash, Mountain State Justice attorney. Twelve-step programs are expressly hostile to nonbelievers. Step 3 calls on participants to “turn [their] will and [their] lives over to the care of God as [they] understood him.” Step 11 tells them to “[seek] through prayer and meditation to improve [their] conscious contact with God as [they] understood him, praying only for knowledge of His will for [them] and the power to carry that out.” In the “Big Book,” the foundational document of these programs, “Chapter 4: We Agnostics” tells atheists and agnostics that they are “doomed to alcoholic death” unless they “seek Him.” The chapter goes on to deride the nonreligious as “handicapped by obstinacy, sensitiveness, and unreasoning prejudice.” It even propounds the dismissive fallacy that “in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God.” American Atheists has supported legislation to require that the criminal justice system inform defendants of their right to a secular recovery option, such as SMART Recovery or LifeRing. Although one such bill […]

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Atheists Win Settlement After Suing Christian Nationalist Lawmaker

American Atheists — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 13:50:12 +0000

Little Rock, AR—Today, the civil rights organization American Atheists announced a successful settlement against Christian nationalist Jason Rapert. This Arkansas state senator—who is also the president and founder of the Christian nationalist organization, National Association of Christian Lawmakers—discriminated against his atheist constituents and violated their freedom of speech. As part of the agreement, the state of Arkansas, on behalf of Rapert, will pay American Atheists more than $16,000, and he will immediately unblock his atheist constituents from his official social media accounts, restoring their ability to communicate directly with the state senator and fellow constituents. In addition, if he decides to block the plaintiffs while still in office, he will be required to provide American Atheists with written documentation showing possible wrongdoing. “This is a victory for freedom of speech and equality for atheists,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel for American Atheists. “Let Jason Rapert be an example to all the Christian nationalist lawmakers and would-be theocrats in our country. If you spread hate and then try to escape accountability, you will face the consequences.” “Time and time again, Jason Rapert called our lawsuit ‘frivolous’ and claimed he would ‘never bow down,’” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “The only things that were ‘frivolous’ were Rapert’s legal arguments. He repeatedly lost to us in court and was going to lose this case. We’re glad he finally saw the writing on the wall and chose to change course, unblock our clients, and settle.” The organization Senator Rapert leads, the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, has member lawmakers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. It has spread harmful model bills across the country, including legislation analogous to Texas Senate Bill 8, the vigilante abortion ban. In Arkansas, Rapert sponsored a law requiring a Ten Commandments monument outside the State Capitol, helped force “In God We Trust” displays into every classroom to indoctrinate children, and introduced an outright abortion ban without exceptions for rape, and incest, or even the health of the mother. And last month, he called for a bill that would ban Arkansans from crossing state lines to get abortion care. The legislation is so extreme that Governor Asa Hutchinson, who signed Rapert’s complete abortion ban into law, opposes it. “We encourage atheists—and all Americans—to speak out against Jason Rapert’s and all Christian nationalists’ hateful attacks on reproductive rights and religious freedom, and we will continue to defend their right to do so,” said Fish. “Christian nationalism is an existential threat to our democracy and the future of our country. Christian nationalists are not above the law. Our victory today proves it.” Additional statements: “By barring Arkansas critics from his official social media accounts, Senator Rapert created an echo chamber of self-agreeing citizens. This is not the American way. Exposing ourselves to other points of view creates an opportunity for learning and acceptance,” said Karen Dempsey, one of the named Arkansas plaintiffs. “Returning to the public forum will allow me to hear what others think and to share my thoughts. I am grateful to American Atheists for taking on this case and prevailing in the face of injustice.” […]

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American Atheists Wins New Victory Against Arkansas State Senator Jason Rapert As Case Heads to Trial

American Atheists — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 10:00:36 +0000

Little Rock, AR—Today, American Atheists celebrated the latest legal victory in its free-speech lawsuit against Christian nationalist Jason Rapert, an Arkansas state senator and failed lieutenant governor candidate. On Tuesday, July 26, United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker ruled in favor of American Atheists, ordering Rapert to finally turn over a trove of documents. She criticized his reasoning for refusing to do so as “repetitive boilerplate objections” and gave him until August 5 to produce the records American Atheists requested. American Atheists’ lawsuit, which was filed in 2018, accuses Rapert of discriminating against atheists and violating their free speech when he blocked them from his official Facebook and Twitter accounts. As part of her order, Judge Baker is forcing Rapert to turn over his social media data. “Judge Baker saw through Rapert’s desperate attempts to avoid accountability and sided with us on every issue we raised,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Legal Counsel for American Atheists. “It’s outrageous that he wasted the court’s time—and our own—to try to deny us access to basic documents. If his decision to censor our clients wasn’t illegal and discriminatory, he should have nothing to hide.” In 2018, Jason Rapert called American Atheists’ lawsuit against him “frivolous.” However, in a 2019 ruling, Judge Baker wrote that American Atheists had a “fair chance of prevailing” in this litigation. In Tuesday’s decision, Judge Baker set the week of October 3, 2022, for the trial date. “Jason Rapert’s attempts to delay and obstruct didn’t work, and now we’re heading toward trial,” said Blackwell. “Rapert and other government officials should take note: actions have consequences, and there are risks to violating constituents’ civil rights. No one is above the law—certainly not a would-be theocrat who can’t handle criticism.”

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Supreme Court Okays Religious Proselytizing by Public School Staff

American Atheists — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 14:46:54 +0000

Washington D.C.—Today, the church-state separation watchdog American Atheists expressed shock and disgust at the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton to allow staff-led prayer in the public school system. Today’s decision overturned decades of Supreme Court precedent, explicitly abandoning the Lemon test and allowing school officials to inject their own religion into public school classrooms. In 1963, the Supreme Court struck down mandatory classroom prayer in Abington School District v. Schempp, which was consolidated with a case brought by Madalyn Murray O’Hair, the founder of American Atheists. “The Supreme Court just opened the door for coercive prayer to return to our schools. It shows just how far toward theocracy we’ve slid in recent years,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “Students are, and always have been, allowed to pray. But giving coaches, teachers, and other authority figures the green light to engage in the sort of coercive prayer at issue here is nothing less than an outright assault on the religious freedom of young people by this out-of-control Court.” The case decided today involves a football coach, Joseph Kennedy, who said he “made a commitment with God” to proselytize. After each game, Kennedy encouraged players from both teams to kneel around him at the 50-yard line as he held up each team’s helmet and led students in prayer. “The Supreme Court will inflict serious damage on students with this decision,” warned Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel for American Atheists. “Coaches greatly influence the lives of student athletes, both on and off the field. They determine whether students sit or play—even whether they have a shot at a full-tuition college scholarship. Whether intentional or not, Kennedy’s behavior coerced students to pray so they could stay on their coach’s good side and get playing time.” Following Kennedy’s proselytizing, the Bremerton School District stepped in to protect students’ freedom of religion, presenting fair and reasonable accommodations to Kennedy. But he rejected all of them, turning football games into a media spectacle. And when he didn’t get his way, he pretended to be a victim, sued, and has now won at the Supreme Court. “School staff, including teachers, will now feel they can force their personal religious beliefs—no matter how extreme—on students. In a country with people from so many different religions, and where more than a quarter of Americans espouse no religion, this is a recipe for disaster,” added Blackwell. “This is another example of the Supreme Court playing favorites,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal & Policy. “Christian plaintiffs like Kennedy, with claims that should be dismissed, are instead permitted to bring their cases to the highest court in the land, in order to further certain Justices’ ideologically biased agenda.” “With school staff apparently now allowed to proselytize, students will lose their religious freedom whenever they enter school,” said Fish. “Parents—especially nonreligious and religious minority parents—will have little say about the religious beliefs staff impose on students. So much for ‘parents’ rights’ and students’ religious freedom.” “Once again, the Christian extremists on the Supreme Court are moving us into terrifyingly uncharted territory—and increasingly toward an America with less […]

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