http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress news from the frontlines of the culture war Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:09:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/aclu-of-iowa-investigates-christmas-display-at-winnebago-county-courthouse/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/aclu-of-iowa-investigates-christmas-display-at-winnebago-county-courthouse/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:39:26 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/aclu-of-iowa-investigates-christmas-display-at-winnebago-county-courthouse/ WQAD.com (AP): "It's investigating whether officials violated the Constitution by displaying the Nativity scene for more than three months."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/aclu-of-iowa-investigates-christmas-display-at-winnebago-county-courthouse/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/illinois-hospital-loses-tax-exempt-status-for-not-being-charitable-enough/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/illinois-hospital-loses-tax-exempt-status-for-not-being-charitable-enough/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:31:02 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/illinois-hospital-loses-tax-exempt-status-for-not-being-charitable-enough/ National Law Journal: "In a decision that could having a chilling effect on nonprofit hospitals, the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a Catholic hospital wasn't charitable enough, so it took away the hospital's tax-exempt status." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/illinois-hospital-loses-tax-exempt-status-for-not-being-charitable-enough/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/episcopal-church-wins-title-to-property-of-break-away-connectiuct-parish/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/episcopal-church-wins-title-to-property-of-break-away-connectiuct-parish/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:50:52 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/episcopal-church-wins-title-to-property-of-break-away-connectiuct-parish/ Religion Clause Blog: "A Connecticut trial court ruled this week that the real and personal property of Bishop Seabury Episcopal Church in Groton, Connecticut, belongs to the Diocese of Connecticut and the Episcopal Church . . . "]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/episcopal-church-wins-title-to-property-of-break-away-connectiuct-parish/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/al-court-rejects-street-preachers-challenge-to-permit-ordinance/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/al-court-rejects-street-preachers-challenge-to-permit-ordinance/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:36:13 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=56157 Religion Clause Blog: "In Bethel v. City of Montgomery, No. 2:04cv743-MEF, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24949 (MD AL, March 2, 2010), two street preachers challenged the requirement imposed by Montgomery, Alabama that they obtain a permit before preaching on public streets." [citation information altered by Alliance Alert editor]]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/al-court-rejects-street-preachers-challenge-to-permit-ordinance/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/north-miami-beach-may-recognize-religious-holidays-but-with-limits/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/north-miami-beach-may-recognize-religious-holidays-but-with-limits/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:31:07 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/north-miami-beach-may-recognize-religious-holidays-but-with-limits/ Miami Herald: "Thomas Pinder, chairman of the city's multicultural committee -- which presented its report recommending the proclamation policy to councilmembers on Tuesday -- said committee members were trying to be inclusive. According to the proposal, the city council would recognize one main holiday for every religion in the form of an official proclamation." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/19/north-miami-beach-may-recognize-religious-holidays-but-with-limits/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/anti-gay-mailer-sparks-controversy-at-post-office/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/anti-gay-mailer-sparks-controversy-at-post-office/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:28:24 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55870 KKTV: "The Family Research Institute wanted to express its concerns about gays in the military in a bulk newsletter to be mailed out. FRI says local postal officials refused to mail out the newsletter because they deemed the content 'obscene' and 'incited force-able resistance against the government.' after a routine check of the mail before it was authorized to be sent out."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/anti-gay-mailer-sparks-controversy-at-post-office/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/al-alexandria-hs-stops-morning-prayers-after-student-complains/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/al-alexandria-hs-stops-morning-prayers-after-student-complains/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:16:53 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55925 The Anniston Star: "The Christian influence at Alexandria High School is visible, but as of this week it's a little less overt. There, brightly colored flyers printed with Bible verses hang on the walls, weekly Bible studies are held before class begins and, until recently, prayers were spoken over the school's intercom system. But that regular practice stopped this week when a student questioned the legality of the practice."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/al-alexandria-hs-stops-morning-prayers-after-student-complains/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/ca-fresno-city-plans-action-against-instructor-who-presented-religious-based-and-anti-gay-views-as-fact-in-a-health-class/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/ca-fresno-city-plans-action-against-instructor-who-presented-religious-based-and-anti-gay-views-as-fact-in-a-health-class/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:09:20 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55922 Fresno Bee: "Fresno City College officials said they plan to take action against an instructor accused of presenting religious-based and anti-gay views as fact in a health class. But school officials declined to say what action they will take. In a March 8 letter to three students who complained, the school said its investigation found that instructor Bradley Lopez violated district policy and engaged in conduct that could create a hostile learning environment. The students were part of a complaint filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in February."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/ca-fresno-city-plans-action-against-instructor-who-presented-religious-based-and-anti-gay-views-as-fact-in-a-health-class/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/hud-to-study-housing-discrimination-toward-gays/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/hud-to-study-housing-discrimination-toward-gays/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:29:51 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55869 Washington Post: "'Our goal is to provide information -- to allow the dialogue to focus on facts rather than preconceived notions,' said HUD Assistant Secretary Raphael Bostic, who is heading the study . . . Bostic said HUD's study is part of a broader effort to make the agency's policies and services more inclusive of the LGBT community, including in public housing and FHA loan programs."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/hud-to-study-housing-discrimination-toward-gays/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/living-under-god/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/living-under-god/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:15:48 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55849 writing in The American Spectator: [The 9th Circuit] ruled in favor of the Pledge. But the big news is 
not that the Ninth Circuit came to its senses and aligned itself with every other court that has addressed the issue. The big news is that
 the Ninth Circuit did so in uniquely and dramatically conservative fashion . . . Remarkably, in an opinion joined by the liberal Judge D.W. Nelson, the Ninth Circuit adopted the Becket Fund's argument: 'The phrase "under God" is a recognition of our Founders' political philosophy that a power greater than the government gives the people their inalienable rights. Thus, the Pledge is an endorsement of our form of government, not of religion or any particular sect."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/living-under-god/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/lambda-legal-glad-file-brief-defending-university-of-california-nondiscrimination-policy-against-christian-legal-society-challenge/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/lambda-legal-glad-file-brief-defending-university-of-california-nondiscrimination-policy-against-christian-legal-society-challenge/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:32:24 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55832 Lambda Legal: "Lambda Legal and Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) filed a friend-of-the-court brief today with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the University of California Hastings School of Law in a case brought by the Christian Legal Society (CLS) challenging the school's nondiscrimination policy."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/lambda-legal-glad-file-brief-defending-university-of-california-nondiscrimination-policy-against-christian-legal-society-challenge/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/fl-school-prayer-bill-clears-first-hurdle/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/fl-school-prayer-bill-clears-first-hurdle/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:12:00 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55826 Wakulla.com: "A controversial school prayer bill cleared its first hurdle in the House, paving the way for teacher participation in student-sponsored prayer. The House Pre-K-12 Policy committee voted 10-3 to forward HB 31, which would prohibit school districts from forcing teachers to enter an agreement that says they cannot participate in any religious activities initiated by students, a situation that occurred in Santa Rosa County."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/18/fl-school-prayer-bill-clears-first-hurdle/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/churches-suffer-losses-under-new-fcc-rule/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/churches-suffer-losses-under-new-fcc-rule/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:32:11 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55787 Christian Post: "As the Federal Communications Commission seeks out more broadband space, the agency is being asked to consider possibly the largest group that would be affected by the move – that is, churches. Churches across the country that use wireless devices have already been affected by FCC's 2008 decision to auction off rights to the 700 MHz band. But their new push for even more spectrum is sure to create more losses and interferences."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/churches-suffer-losses-under-new-fcc-rule/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/tn-sevier-mayor-and-the-people-say-prayer/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/tn-sevier-mayor-and-the-people-say-prayer/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:35:39 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55636 Knoxville News Sentinel: "This storm of prayer had been gathering for weeks, since Americans United for the Separation of Church and State sent a mid-February letter telling Waters to end the decades-long tradition of saying the Our Father before meetings. Waters said he intended to continue to pray, and Monday night he fulfilled that promise as the familiar words of the familiar prayer rolled through the courthouse."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/tn-sevier-mayor-and-the-people-say-prayer/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/amicus-and-party-briefs-in-christian-legal-society-case-all-now-available-online/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/amicus-and-party-briefs-in-christian-legal-society-case-all-now-available-online/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:53:11 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55703 Religion Clause Blog: "All of the amicus briefs, as well as the briefs of the parties, have now been filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in Christian Legal Society Chapter v. Martinez. The full text of all the briefs are available online from the ABA's website: 22 amicus briefs support Petitioner; 12 support Respondent; and one is in support of neither party . . . "]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/amicus-and-party-briefs-in-christian-legal-society-case-all-now-available-online/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/9th-circuit-defines-ministerial-exception-for-employment-cases/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/9th-circuit-defines-ministerial-exception-for-employment-cases/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:50:40 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55701 Religion Clause Blog: "In Alcazar v. Corporation of the Catholic Archbishop of Seattle, (9th Cir., March 16, 2010), the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed under the 'ministerial exception' doctrine claims by two Catholic seminarians who alleged violations of Washington state's Minimum Wage Law . . . "]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/9th-circuit-defines-ministerial-exception-for-employment-cases/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/us-muslims-to-challenge-anti-islam-bias-in-childrens-books/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/us-muslims-to-challenge-anti-islam-bias-in-childrens-books/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:36:27 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55674 Arab News: "On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-PA) will hold a news conference in Philadelphia to announce the launch of a nationwide campaign to challenge anti-Islam bias in a series of children's books that the Washington-based Muslim civil rights group says promote "hostility toward Islam and suspicion of Muslims."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/us-muslims-to-challenge-anti-islam-bias-in-childrens-books/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/ky-student-suspended-for-in-school-prayer-called-disruptive-protests-follow/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/ky-student-suspended-for-in-school-prayer-called-disruptive-protests-follow/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:39:28 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55642 WHAS11: "A teenage girl standing up to pray at a Louisville middle school has been suspended. Her principal calls it a disruptive and potentially dangerous. [Principal Rob] Stephenson, who carries a cross in his pocket, says the problem wasn't Aly praying. 'She can't put herself in a dangerous situation. She can't stand up on the cafeteria benches,' said Stephenson."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/ky-student-suspended-for-in-school-prayer-called-disruptive-protests-follow/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/so-calif-city-to-home-bible-study-shut-down-by-good-friday/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/so-calif-city-to-home-bible-study-shut-down-by-good-friday/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:33:30 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55660 Pacific Justice Institute: "A city in Southern California is demanding that a small home Bible study group stop meeting because it does not have an expensive permit. The permit is not required for similar-sized gatherings in homes, such as book clubs, birthday parties or gatherings centered around sporting events."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/so-calif-city-to-home-bible-study-shut-down-by-good-friday/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/fl-polk-county-school-board-asks-religous-leaders-to-say-prayers/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/fl-polk-county-school-board-asks-religous-leaders-to-say-prayers/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:23:34 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55630 The Ledger: "Polk County School Board members decided Tuesday to ask various religious leaders to open their meetings with prayer."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/fl-polk-county-school-board-asks-religous-leaders-to-say-prayers/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/law-review-the-state-action-doctrine-and-the-establishment-clause/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/law-review-the-state-action-doctrine-and-the-establishment-clause/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:38:27 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55748 The State Action Doctrine and the Establishment Clause 123 Harv. L. Rev. 1278 (2010) "Of course, the state action doctrine does not answer all Establishment Clause questions--in particular, it does not help identify whether an activity is religious in nature. This Part argues, however, that when the sectarian nature of constitutionally questioned activity is determined, the state action doctrine furnishes courts with a clearer and more coherent legal framework for evaluating Establishment Clause cases than does automatic application of the Lemon test. Section A provides a theoretical justification for the application of the state action doctrine to Establishment Clause jurisprudence, and the following sections examine Cooper, Americans United, and Community House--three cases that demonstrate why and how the state action doctrine should be applied."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/law-review-the-state-action-doctrine-and-the-establishment-clause/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/law-review-specialty-license-plates-and-the-first-amendment/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/law-review-specialty-license-plates-and-the-first-amendment/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:34:24 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55732 Specialty License Plates and the First Amendment 123 Harv. L. Rev. 1291 (2010) "The law of specialty license plates is a central battleground in the still-unfolding jurisprudence of government speech. Undoubtedly, license plates implicate the expressive rights of the drivers who display them, but because their messages are so readily attributed to the issuing governments, they also implicate a government speech interest in avoiding inaccurate assumptions of state endorsement. Accordingly, specialty license plates constitute a hybrid speech category--a classification as yet unrecognized by the Supreme Court--in which both private and government speech interests are weighty enough to demand simultaneous recognition by courts. In this hybrid category, both the government and the private speaker should have a right to veto expression that would be attributed to them by reasonable observers, as the test for government speech recently suggested by Justice Souter implies."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/17/law-review-specialty-license-plates-and-the-first-amendment/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/alaska-state-senate-to-consider-hate-crimes-measure/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/alaska-state-senate-to-consider-hate-crimes-measure/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:51:48 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55603 HRC Back Story: "Tomorrow, the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee will be holding its second hearing on the Alaska Hate Crimes Bill (SB 202). Since the passage of the federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr Hate Crimes Prevention Act, some confusion has arisen over the role of state hate crimes legislation."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/alaska-state-senate-to-consider-hate-crimes-measure/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/fl-adl-says-no-to-what-it-calls-a-school-prayer-bill/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/fl-adl-says-no-to-what-it-calls-a-school-prayer-bill/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:50:43 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55608 Sun Sentinel: "The issue of school prayer is kicking up controversy once again. The Anti-Defamation League wants the Florida House’s education policy committee to reject a bill it calls 'divisive and unconstitutional.' House Bill 31 gives school districts the power to allow 'delivery of an inspirational message' at high school events, according to the Florida House of Representatives' website."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/fl-adl-says-no-to-what-it-calls-a-school-prayer-bill/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/universities-may-deny-funding-to-student-clubs-that-discriminate-groups-tell-high-court/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/universities-may-deny-funding-to-student-clubs-that-discriminate-groups-tell-high-court/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:32:31 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55578 Americans United for Separation of Church and State: "Public colleges and universities should have the constitutional right to deny funding and official recognition to student clubs that engage in religious discrimination, a trio of religious and civil liberties groups has told the Supreme Court. The organizations – Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Jewish Committee and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism – filed a friend-of-the-court brief March 15 urging the justices to rule in favor of the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law in a pending case."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/universities-may-deny-funding-to-student-clubs-that-discriminate-groups-tell-high-court/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/no-news-yet-on-the-cert-petition-in-the-first-amendment-abortion-clinic-picketing-case/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/no-news-yet-on-the-cert-petition-in-the-first-amendment-abortion-clinic-picketing-case/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:01:43 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55566 Volokh Conspiracy: "I blogged about the case a few months ago, and signed an amicus brief supporting review — Colorado v. Hill has created a good deal of uncertainty in lower court decisions, and I think this would be a good opportunity for the Court to clarify matters . . . "]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/no-news-yet-on-the-cert-petition-in-the-first-amendment-abortion-clinic-picketing-case/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/ohio-lake-schools-to-keep-god-out-of-mission-statement/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/ohio-lake-schools-to-keep-god-out-of-mission-statement/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:29:00 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55562 Akron Beacon Journal: "The Lake Local Board of Education will continue to leave 'belief in God' out of the district's mission statement, much to the disappointment of a group of Lake Township residents who crowded into the board's meeting Monday night . . . after the Freedom from Religion Foundation of Wisconsin threatened to sue the board to have the statement removed."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/16/ohio-lake-schools-to-keep-god-out-of-mission-statement/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/virginia-ag-reaffirms-stance-on-college-sexual-orientation-policies/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/virginia-ag-reaffirms-stance-on-college-sexual-orientation-policies/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:38:00 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55431 Richmond Times-Dispatch: "The General Assembly has considered and defined the protected classes for purposes of nondiscrimination statutes. It has specifically defined unlawful discrimination at educational institutions. The Virginia Human Rights Act states that it is the policy of the commonwealth to 'safeguard all individuals within the Commonwealth from unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, or disability, in places of public accommodation, including educational institutions.' In addition to this affirmative statement, the General Assembly has on numerous occasions, including this session, considered and rejected creating a protected class defined by sexual orientation. No state agency can reach beyond such clearly established boundaries."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/virginia-ag-reaffirms-stance-on-college-sexual-orientation-policies/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/fl-atheist-group-challenges-lakeland-commission-over-prayer/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/fl-atheist-group-challenges-lakeland-commission-over-prayer/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:22:19 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55451 TheLedger.com: "The Lakeland City Commission is being challenged on its policy of beginning its meetings with prayer, part of an effort by a state atheist organization that is targeting the practice at other city councils in the region . . . "]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/fl-atheist-group-challenges-lakeland-commission-over-prayer/feed/ 1 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/eeoc-concludes-company-should-have-reasonably-accommodated-employee%e2%80%99s-felt-religious-obligation-to-wear-a-headscarf/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/eeoc-concludes-company-should-have-reasonably-accommodated-employee%e2%80%99s-felt-religious-obligation-to-wear-a-headscarf/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:04:03 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55358 Volokh Conspiracy: "According to the Complaint in EEOC v. Pollard Agency, filed last week, the Pollard Agency fired an employee for 'wearing a headscarf to cover her hair, which is a sincerely held religious belief as required by her faith.' The EEOC argues that this violates the duty of religious accommodation . . . "]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/eeoc-concludes-company-should-have-reasonably-accommodated-employee%e2%80%99s-felt-religious-obligation-to-wear-a-headscarf/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/la-court-says-non-custodial-parent-may-share-religion-with-child/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/la-court-says-non-custodial-parent-may-share-religion-with-child/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:43:42 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55345 Religion Clause Blog: "In D.R.S. v. L.E.K., (LA App., March 10, 2010), a Louisiana state appellate court held that a parent holding court-awarded custody of a child generally may not shield the child from exposure to the non-custodial parent's religious beliefs . . . "]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/la-court-says-non-custodial-parent-may-share-religion-with-child/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/ny-boiler-plate-ag-endorsement-of-church-property-sale-found-insufficient/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/ny-boiler-plate-ag-endorsement-of-church-property-sale-found-insufficient/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:40:33 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55341 Religion Clause Blog: "A New York trial court has rejected the apparently routine method by which the state Attorney General's office gives its statutorily required consent to the sale of real property by non-profit religious corporations. The New York Religious Corporations Law, Sec. 12(a)(1), requires religious corporations to obtain court approval for sale, mortgage or lease of real property." ]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/ny-boiler-plate-ag-endorsement-of-church-property-sale-found-insufficient/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/liberalism-takes-hit-in-textbook-debate/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/liberalism-takes-hit-in-textbook-debate/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:19:14 +0000 ADF Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55309 One News Now: "Their message was, 'Keep the concepts of American exceptionalism and preserve the Judeo-Christian values that have had an impact on our law and government. Do not take that kind of information out; don't take out some of our notable leaders,' Saenz reports. 'And a lot of those corrections and changes have been made - a lot of good progress. There's still some work to be done, and so it's been very encouraging thus far.'"]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/liberalism-takes-hit-in-textbook-debate/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/law-review-give-and-get-applying-the-restatement-of-contracts-to-determine-the-enforceability-of-get-settlement-contracts/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/law-review-give-and-get-applying-the-restatement-of-contracts-to-determine-the-enforceability-of-get-settlement-contracts/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:30:10 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55354 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/15/law-review-give-and-get-applying-the-restatement-of-contracts-to-determine-the-enforceability-of-get-settlement-contracts/feed/ 0 http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/12/va-some-skip-islamic-prayer-in-house/ http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/12/va-some-skip-islamic-prayer-in-house/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:56:15 +0000 Alliance Alert http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/?p=55273 Christian Post: "By the invitation of a Virginia lawmaker, a controversial Muslim cleric delivered the opening prayer on Thursday at the start of the House of Delegates' session. About a dozen delegates did not attend the prayer of Johari Abdul-Malik."]]> http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/12/va-some-skip-islamic-prayer-in-house/feed/ 0