Public Policy

Department of Labor Greenlights Employment Discrimination in the Name of Religion

Washington, D.C.—December 7, 2020—Today, American Atheists denounced the U.S. Department of Labor’s new regulation that expands federal contractors’ ability to discriminate based on religion. More specifically, the new rule allows nominally religious organizations—and even for-profit corporations—to qualify for discriminatory religious exemptions. The new rule not only expands which employers can…...

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Trump Administration Creates Special Rules for Churches to Access Public Funds, Yet Again

Washington, D.C.—Today, the Small Business Administration published a new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) regulation that, once again, particularly benefits churches. American Atheists denounced this rule as yet another unconstitutional attack by the Trump Administration on church/state separation....

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New DeVos Education Regulation Forces Universities to Fund Discriminatory Religious Student Groups and Weakens Free Speech on College Campuses

Washington D.C.—Today, the national civil rights organization American Atheists condemned the Department of Education, led by Secretary Betsy DeVos, for publishing a final rule that, despite its claims of protecting free speech on college campuses, undermines free speech and enables discrimination....

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American Atheists Blasts DeVos’s Assault on Religious Freedom and Vulnerable Minority Groups

Washington, D.C.—Today, American Atheists denounced guidance released by the Department of Education on Friday that uses language of religious freedom to attack the separation of religion and government, the very principle that allows for the religious freedom that every American enjoys....

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37 Civil Rights Organizations Ask Department of Education to Ensure Protections for Religious Minority and Nonreligious Students in Collecting Civil Rights Data

Washington, D.C.—Today, American Atheists joined 36 other civil rights organizations in offering improvements to how the U.S. Department of Education plans to collect civil rights data about students....

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Department of Education Could Put Atheist Students in Harm’s Way

Washington, D.C.—Today, American Atheists warned the U.S. Department of Education that its proposal to collect religious bullying data could result in anti-atheist bullying....

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Atheists Denounce DeVos’ Plan to Enrich Religious Schools

Washington, D.C.—Today, the civil rights organization American Atheists denounced Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’s plan to force school districts to redirect coronavirus relief funds from public schools to private, religious schools....

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Organizations Call Upon Congress to Protect Church/State Separation in COVID-19 Relief Bill

Washington, D.C.—Today, American Atheists was joined by seven civil rights organizations in urging Congress to include language in the new coronavirus relief bill that would prevent loan forgiveness for billions of dollars that have been used to support religious activities....

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