News From The Week Of January 13 – 17, 2020

Friend:

I know you’ve heard quite a bit from us this week – it’s been a busy one. The Trump administration hijacked Religious Freedom Day to encourage coercive religious activity in public schools, and to roll back religious freedom protections for millions of vulnerable people seeking taxpayer-funded social services.

Team, you should have seen our “war room” whip into action! I know you would have joined me in being so proud to see our staff come together across our different departments, all bringing our expertise to the table. We quickly produced an assortment of products ranging from a report on religion in public school to analysis of the proposed regulations to a petition and press release that we shared with the media, our coalition partners, members of Congress and on social media.

But today, I want to share some good news too: This week, AU’s legal team secured a major victory in court!

As you may remember, AU, the National Women’s Law Center and the Center for Reproductive Rights went to court in Indiana on behalf of University of Notre Dame students who lost their birth control coverage due to Trump administration rules that invite universities to use religion to deny access. This week, a federal court allowed our lawsuit against both the Trump rules and the administration’s illegal settlement with Notre Dame to proceed, sending a clear warning that this misuse of religious freedom is unacceptable.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case challenging these Trump administration birth control rules. AU will be strongly urging the Court to affirm they are an unconstitutional misuse of religious freedom. Of course, we will keep you informed as both cases progress.

Our work would not exist without your support, team. Thank you for everything you do to protect religious freedom.

With hope and determination,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO

Trump Administration Marks Religious Freedom Day By Mocking That Principle:
Thursday was Religious Freedom Day, so naturally, the Trump administration celebrated by trashing that very principle.
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On The Supreme Court’s Docket: Forcing Taxpayers To Pay For Religious Education And Discrimination:
Never before has the Supreme Court ruled that states must fund religious education. It would be an extraordinary federal intrusion into the constitutional and public education affairs of our states.
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Yes, Marriage Equality Is The Law – Even In Tennessee:
A lawyer and a far-right band of ministers are asking Tennessee county clerks to defy the U.S. Supreme Court and ignore the court’s marriage equality ruling.
READ MORE » [link removed]

In New York, These Municipal Legislators Took Their Oaths Of Office On A Non-Religious Book:
Contrary to popular belief, nothing in the U.S. Constitution requires officeholders to take an oath of office on the Bible -- or any other book, for that matter.
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Americans United for Separation of Church and State
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