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Dear John,
We’re told to give thanks in everything...That’s not always easy to do.
Sometimes, things don’t go the way that you think they should.
And that can be quite frustrating.
But God has an incredible way of revealing why our faith should always lead us to be grateful.
Let Faith Lead the Way to a Better Tomorrow
Join Us in the Fight to Secure Religious Freedom
Just last week we had a setback in our Bangor Christian Schools case.
We lost a motion to prevent the enforcement of requirements that were specifically passed to prevent faith-based schools from participating in Maine’s tuition assistance program.
In 2022, we fought together all the way to the Supreme Court for families eligible for Maine’s school choice program to be able to choose religious schools.
And the Supreme Court rewarded our efforts with a 6-3 precedent-setting victory.
The court’s ruling not only stated that Maine could no longer restrict access to its tuition assistance program based on religion, but that government entities cannot exclude participation in a program for religious reasons.
Instead of complying, several of Maine’s officials took a different course of action.
They openly worked to circumvent the Supreme Court’s ruling - a ruling described by Maine’s Attorney General as one that would “promote intolerance and bigotry.”
In addition to criticizing the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Attorney General released a statement specifically targeting Bangor Christian Schools by expressing extreme hostility towards the school’s statement of faith on marriage, sexuality and family.
Now, Maine has passed new requirements to prevent faith-based schools from ever participating in the school choice program.
To take part, schools cannot refuse to admit a person based on religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
That means religious schools like Bangor Christian Schools must compromise their religious beliefs if they want to participate.
That’s something they will never do.
And it’s something you and I can make sure that they never have to do.
It’s Time to Stand Together Against Religious Discrimination
It’s Time to Fight the Good Fight for Faith
It is hard for me to imagine the malice and hate that has been directed towards Bangor Christian Schools.
This requirement targets and forces faith-based schools to violate their beliefs. How can this be allowed to stand?
Yet there’s hope.
When the U.S. District Court in Maine denied our motion for a preliminary injunction, it also held that the case raises important legal questions that a higher court should answer and that BCS had the legal right to challenge Maine’s law in court.
And with your help, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
John, you and I can’t stand by while anti-faith bureaucrats attempt to circumvent a Supreme Court ruling with requirements designed to discriminate.
Together, we can fight for Bangor Christian Schools to make sure that all faith-based schools can equally participate without facing religious discrimination.
But this fight won’t be easy. We need your financial support to win this fight for faith.
Will you join us on the frontlines in the fight to stop religious discrimination in Maine?
Yes, I will make a gift today!
Grateful for you,
Kelly
Kelly Shackelford, Esq.
President, CEO & Chief Counsel
First Liberty Institute
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