Legal

American Atheists Welcomes New National Legal and Public Policy Director Alison M. Gill

Washington, DC—Today, American Atheists announced the hiring of Alison M. Gill to serve as National Legal and Public Policy Director. Alison will begin working with American Atheists in January. Alison will be based in American Atheists’ Washington, DC office....

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Atheists File Suit Against NJ County After Government Money Used to Promote Religious Ceremonies

Cranford, NJ—American Atheists filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Newark, New Jersey today alleging that the Bergen County Animal Shelter repeatedly devoted government resources to the promotion and performance of religious ceremonies in a county facility, despite warnings from American Atheists against the practice....

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Atheists Threaten Lawsuit Over Johnson Amendment Exemption in GOP Tax Bill

Washington, DC—Following the release of the House Republicans’ tax cut package today, American Atheists threatened a lawsuit if the bill were to become law....

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Atheists File Federal Lawsuit After Student Disciplined, Harassed for Sitting Out Pledge

Houston, TX—American Atheists filed a federal lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, alleging that a high school senior has been subjected to years of harassment by teachers, administrators, and other students because she opted to not participate in the Pledge of Allegiance. The…...

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Atheist Groups Demand Schools Protect Students’ Free Speech Rights, Cease Unconstitutional Pre-Game Prayers

Cranford, NJ—American Atheists today joined with attorneys and leaders from five other national atheist and secular groups to demand that Bossier Parish Schools immediately rescind a policy permitting schools to punish students who kneel during the playing of the national anthem before sporting events, and also that the district end…...

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Threat Against Anthem Protesters Puts Louisiana Superintendent in Hot Water

Cranford, NJ—American Atheists today sent a demand letter to Bossier Parish Schools (Louisiana) Superintendent Scott Smith, shown above, demanding that he retract a district policy highlighted by national news coverage that requires student athletes to stand for the National Anthem or face discipline....

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Statement from American Atheists President on Jeff Mateer Judicial Nomination

Cranford, NJ—In response to statements made in 2015 by President Donald Trump’s nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Jeff Mateer, American Atheists president David Silverman released the following statement: In Jeff Mateer, President Trump has nominated a person to the federal bench whose statements…...

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American Atheists Warns Arkansas Schools: Reject ‘In God We Trust’ Displays

Cranford, NJ—Today, in response to a new law that requires Arkansas school districts to post signs that read,  “In God We Trust” in all classrooms, the American Atheists Legal Center sent a letter to all 262 Arkansas superintendents reminding them of their obligations under the United States Constitution and of…...

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