When the Rights of the Church are Placed Above the Rights of the State

On May 23, 2023, parents and two religious educational institutions filed a lawsuit against the state of MN over their policy regarding post-secondary enrollment options allowing high school kids to enroll in college courses and get simultaneous high school and college credit. 

One of the religious educational institutions that sued is the largest provider of PSEO in the state. In the previous year, Northwestern got $33 million and Crown $5 million.

The new budget signed by Governor Walz required that if educational institutions forced students to sign a “faith statement” e.g. agreeing that homosexuality is wrong, marriage is between one man and one woman, no extra marital sex etc. they could not receive the money because that is discrimination based on religion, which is unlawful. The amendment in the law came after repeated complaints about those two schools.

The religious institutions turned that idea on its head and argued that not allowing them to force students to sign such statements was discrimination based on their religion that required such a statement and thus violated the constitution.  That it discriminates against other religions and the non-religious they cared not a hoot.

Read the rest of Secular AZ Legal Director's analysis

THIS WEEK'S NEWS

Taxpayer dollars funding explicit religious indoctrination:   Riverstone Academy was billed as a tuition-free "public" school; however, it's come to light that this new Pueblo, Colorado charter school explicitly features a "Christian foundation" and is using faith-based curriculum while seeking public funding. This constitutes a direct and unconstitutional use of taxpayer money to fund religious instruction, violating the separation of church and state. The Colorado Department of Education has questioned the funding eligibility, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that District 49 immediately cease funding. Looks like a deliberate attempt to breach the wall between church and state, following a similar, unsuccessful attempt in Oklahoma. Read more. 

In the aftermath of No Kings: Republicans have been loudly calling participants in No Kings protests "American haters," but it's a perfect example of doublespeak.  “It's rough sledding these days if you're the sort of Christian who believes that the meek will inherit the earth & that God can be found among the prisoner & the sick, the stranger & the outcast, & that the best use of power is to give it away at your own expense to those who have none…" Read more.

So much for WWJD:  This explains so much about the state of things in the U.S.: PRRI's annual American Values survey shows that while 80% of Americans believe empathy is a key foundation of a healthy society, 40% of Christian Nationalists think empathy is a “dangerous emotion.” Read more.

Slithering out of the woodwork:  Following the shooting of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, prominent right-wing figures called for retribution, leading to the resurgence of dormant extremist groups in Arizona. In Tucson, the Arizona Armed Militia targeted nonbinary Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz over a social media post, forcing them and their staff to relocate due to threats. Separately, the Lions of Liberty pressured a school board to fire an employee who posted critically about Kirk. Both groups called for demonstrations that ultimately fizzled. Read more. 

Harming the most vulnerable, just like their savior taught: The Trump administration's new food assistance work requirements are threatening to strip benefits from hundreds of thousands of Americans, including veterans, older adults, and those in rural areas. The new rules restrict states' ability to waive work mandates for SNAP recipients, particularly affecting those aged 50-55 and those struggling to meet hourly quotas due to lack of local jobs or health issues. Again, so much for WWJD. Read more.