Home : Religion and Belief

ACLU Urges Congress To Reject Voucher Scheme in District of Columbia; Says Plan Hurts Already Disadvantaged Kids (06/24/2003)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today told lawmakers that if they approve a voucher program for the District of Columbia they will be funneling money away from an already debt-ridden public school system, putting most of the District's almost 80,000 public school students at a further disadvantage.

ACLU Says Orlando Court Decision in Veil Case Permits Government to Needlessly Restrict Religious Freedom Without Enhancing Security (06/06/2003)
ORLANDO, FL -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida said today's circuit court ruling in the case of a Muslim homemaker who declined on religious grounds to remove her face veil for a driver's license photo is a needless restriction on religious freedom with no benefit to public safety.

ACLU Asks Florida Court to Reinstate Suspended Driver's License of Muslim Woman Forced to Remove Her Face Veil (05/27/2003)
ORLANDO, FL -- Saying the government's crackdown on rights in the wake of 9/11 does not justify religious scapegoating of Muslims, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today asked an circuit court judge here to reinstate the driving privileges of a Muslim homemaker whose license was revoked after she declined on religious grounds to remove her face veil for a driver's license photo.

As House Narrowly Adopts Bill to Allow Federally Funded Discrimination, ACLU Calls on Senate to Once Again Protect Civil Rights (05/08/2003)
WASHINGTON - As the House narrowly passed legislation to permit federally funded religious organizations to discriminate against employees based on their beliefs, the ACLU today called on the Senate to preserve current civil rights protections in federal job-training programs. The ACLU said that House legislation includes unnecessary provisions that will undo key federal protections for potential employees.

ACLU Urges Congress to Oppose Federally Funded Discrimination; Calls Legislation an Unnecessary and Dangerous Measure (05/07/2003)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today joined with members of Congress and religious leaders to voice opposition to H.R. 1261, the Workforce Reinvestment and Adult Education Act. The legislation would allow federally funded religious organizations to discriminate against employees based on their religious beliefs.

ACLU Charges Missouri Public School District with Allowing Improper Religious Activities in Classroom (05/01/2003)
INDEPENDENCE, MO -- Saying that a teacher here taught religious claims from the Bible as historical fact, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri and Americans United for Separation of Church and State today filed a lawsuit against school district officials for allowing the teacher to promote improper religious activities in his history class.

ACLU Urges Congress to Oppose Taxpayer Funding of Church Construction; Hearing Comes on Heels of Faith-Based Defeat in Senate (04/28/2003)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today urged lawmakers to oppose a proposed federal rule change that would allow taxpayer money, currently earmarked for single parent aid and housing for the homeless, to fund physical construction of churches and other religious buildings.

High Court Rebuffs San Diego's Latest Attempt to Manipulate Sale of Cross on Public Lands (04/21/2003)
SAN DIEGO--The American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties today hailed a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to deny review of an appeals court ruling that found San Diego had violated the California Constitution when it gave unfair advantage to a religiously oriented organization in the sale of the city-owned Mt. Soledad Park.

ACLU Says Compromise Faith-Based Bill Should Serve as "Lesson for the White House" (04/09/2003)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today called a Senate compromise on legislation to implement parts of President Bush's faith-based initiative a strong signal to the White House that it should abandon efforts to allow religious groups benefiting from taxpayers' dollars to discriminate based on religion in their hiring practices.

Federal Appeals Court Hears ACLU Argument Against Government Endorsement of Ten Commandments (04/07/2003)
PHILADELPHIA - The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania today argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit that a Ten Commandments plaque on the county courthouse violated principles of religious freedom. The appeals court will now decide whether to uphold the trial court's order to remove the plaque.