Home : Religion and Belief

ACLU Calls on Congress to Reject Funding of Religious Activities, Says Faith Based Initiative Goes Too Far and Threatens Civil Rights (06/21/2005)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today urged lawmakers not to give the green light to the President's plan to funnel taxpayer dollars to faith-based organizations to provide social services. Without the proper safeguards, the President's "Faith-Based Initiative" will amount to little more than "government funded religion."

Parents, Educators Denounce Florida Voucher Scheme, Say Program Hurts Public Schools (06/06/2005)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments tomorrow on the constitutionality of Florida's school voucher program in a case that will determine whether the state can continue diverting much-needed tax dollars from neighborhood public schools to private, mostly church-run schools.

ACLU Says Vouchers Are Not Education Reform (06/06/2005)
MIAMI, FL -- Ever since Jeb Bush became governor of Florida, he has championed programs that undermine the state's public school system by transferring tax dollars from public to private and church-run schools.

Pennsylvania Judge Upholds Muslim Firefighter's Religious Liberty in ACLU Lawsuit (06/01/2005)
PHILADELPHIA -- In Pennsylvania's first court interpretation of the state's Religious Freedom Protection Act, a city judge has ruled that a devout Muslim firefighter who refuses to shave his beard on religious grounds cannot be fired while his legal case continues.

ICLU and Indiana Citizens Challenge Sectarian Prayers in State House (05/31/2005)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Acting on behalf of a retired Methodist minister, a lobbyist for a statewide Quaker group and two Roman Catholic citizens, the Indiana Civil Liberties Union today filed a federal lawsuit asking that the Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives be blocked from the practice of opening House sessions with sectarian and proselytizing prayers.

ACLU Applauds Supreme Court Ruling Protecting Religious Liberty in Prisons (05/31/2005)
WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded an unusual unanimous vote by the Supreme Court upholding the constitutionality of a federal law that requires states to allow prisoners to practice their religious beliefs.

ACLU Sues PA School District to Stop Official Prayers at Graduation and School Board Meetings (05/26/2005)
PITTSBURGH -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit today against the Keystone School District in Clarion County asking a federal court for an immediate order prohibiting school officials from allowing prayers at tomorrow's graduation ceremony and from continuing to open school board meetings with a sectarian prayer.

Muslim Woman Sues Prison for Forcing Her to Remove Headscarf in Front of Male Guards and Prisoners (05/25/2005)
MADISON, WI -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin today filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of Cynthia Rhouni, a Muslim woman who was forced to remove her religious headscarf, or hijab, in front of male guards and prisoners as a condition of visiting her son's father at Columbia Correctional Institution.

ACLU of Florida Launches Religious Freedom Project (05/19/2005)
MIAMI -- In response to recent and bold assaults on First Amendment freedoms, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida will launch the Florida Religious Freedom Project. The project will focus on issues in the state involving religious freedom and separation of church and state.

ACLU Files Lawsuit to Protect Religious Liberty of Imprisoned Asylum Seeker (05/18/2005)
SAN FRANCISCO -- The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging restrictions on an asylum seeker's right to wear a religious head covering. The plaintiff, Harpal Singh Cheema, is a devout Sikh, imprisoned since 1997 while awaiting a decision on his asylum application.

Louisiana School Board Repeatedly Defied Federal Court Order, Charges ACLU (04/05/2005)
NEW ORLEANS--The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a motion for criminal contempt against the Tangipahoa Parish School Board for defying an agreed on court order banning official prayer at athletic events. This marks the second contempt motion filed against the school board within the past two weeks for violating court orders.

Maine Civil Liberties Union Urges High Court to Keep Government Out of Religion Business (03/24/2005)
PORTLAND, ME - The Maine Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments today in a case that will determine whether the state can be forced to fund religious education with taxpayer money through its school voucher program.