News from the Week May 22 - May 26, 2023

Friend:

And another week goes by that demonstrates how crucially needed Americans United is right now. Media interviews. Strategy sessions with our allies. Preparing to sue Texas if the legislature passed a bill that would have required all public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every single classroom.

So many of our dedicated staff watched late into the night Tuesday to see if the Texas House would pass SB 1515 before the midnight deadline and send the bill to Gov. Abbott. CNN and The New York Times ([link removed]) were reaching out to us for updates and comment, while AU staffers were busy talking with local allies and getting ready to implement our plan should the bill pass.

We celebrated at midnight (1 a.m. ET for me) when the bill died as the House adjourned without voting on it – but it shouldn’t have to be this close. Yes, it was a victory for church-state separation and Texas students and families. And I’m incredibly grateful for our policy team, Texas chapter members and supporters, and allies on the ground for their efforts to block this blatantly unconstitutional bill.

But it’s alarming that we came a hair’s breadth from Texas politicians imposing religion on every public school student in the state.

As I told The New York Times ([link removed]) in an interview this week, forcing public schools to display the Ten Commandments is part of the Christian Nationalist crusade to compel all of us to live by their beliefs. And it’s not just happening in Texas. In West Virginia, the legislature nearly passed a bill that would have allowed public schools to teach intelligent design creationism. In Idaho and Kentucky, new laws could allow teachers and other public school employees to pray in front of – and even with – students. In Missouri, they passed a Bible class bill. In Florida, they’re banning books and lessons on race, sexual orientation, gender identity and even periods. To top it off, Texas did succeed in passing a bill that lets schools replace guidance counselors with chaplains, which I told The Washington Post ([link removed]) violates students’ and families’ religious freedom.

All of these bills – and many more – are intended to encourage public officials to use the machinery of the state to impose their religion on all of our children. And don’t get me started on the many voucher bills proposed this year, which would funnel even more millions of dollars to private religious schools.

So even as we celebrate this victory in Texas, we know we’ve got a long way to go to prevent religious extremists from destroying our public schools. Your support could not be more vital – we need you now more than ever to be part of our call ([link removed]) for a national recommitment to keep church and state separate. Our public schools and our democracy depend on it.

With hope and determination,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO

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A poem from President Biden’s inauguration has been banned in – you guessed it – Florida.
Officials at a Florida public school had to remove a famous poem after one parent complained about it.
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Lone Star victory: Texas Ten Commandments bill fails to pass
The Texas Ten Commandments bill faltered not on a vote but through a procedural maneuver.
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Florida’s book bans might meet their match in court.
Parents who support the right to read are fighting back in federal court, and they have some impressive legal firepower behind them. Their lawsuit notes that the banners' emphasis on LGBTQ- and race-themed books “is no accident” and part of a discriminatory agenda.
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Get Involved—Check Out AU’s Upcoming Events:
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June 7, 2023 at 4:30 pm PT (Virtual): “My Life Preserving the First Amendment," a discussion with former AU Executive Director Barry Lynn about his 3-volume memoir “Paid to Piss People Off” and his life as a fighter for the First Amendment. Sign up here: [link removed]

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