Legal

American Atheists and Americans United Applaud U.S. Dept. of Education Plan to Reconsider Forcing Universities to Fund Discrimination by Religious Student Groups

Washington, D.C.—Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it is reviewing and anticipates rescinding parts of a regulation enacted by the Trump administration that, among other things, forces universities to financially support religious student groups that discriminate....

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American Atheists Wins New Victory on Behalf of Harassed Nonreligious Student

Houston, TX—Today, the church/state watchdog American Atheists announced a new victory in its lawsuit against a teacher who harassed, disciplined, and retaliated against a nonreligious high school student for sitting out the Pledge of Allegiance. On Tuesday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to grant the teacher qualified immunity....

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Atheists Sue Mississippi Over “In God We Trust” License Plate

Jackson, Mississippi, June 22, 2021—Today, the church-state separation watchdog American Atheists, the Mississippi Humanist Association, and three nonreligious Mississippi residents filed a federal lawsuit against Mississippi over the state’s “In God We Trust” license plate. The complaint accuses the Mississippi Commissioner of Revenue of violating nonreligious people’s freedoms of speech…...

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Supreme Court Rules Discriminatory Religious Practices Outweigh LGBTQ Rights

Washington, D.C.—Today the civil rights organization American Atheists denounced the unanimous decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia as a dangerous expansion of religious exemptions that undermine civil rights protections for all Americans. As a result of this case, Catholic Social Services (CSS) will force the City of Philadelphia to…...

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American Atheists and Other Groups Sue Trump Admin for Gutting Religious Freedom Protections in Social Services Programs

New York, N.Y. — Today, American Atheists joined by a coalition of service and advocacy groups filed suit against the Trump administration for rolling back religious freedom protections that required faith-based organizations providing critical, taxpayer-funded services (like food and shelter) to inform recipients of their legal rights to be free…...

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American Atheists and Americans United Sue to Overturn Department of Education Regulation that Forces Universities to Fund Discrimination by Student Groups

Washington, D.C.—Today, the national civil rights organizations American Atheists and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, on behalf of the Secular Student Alliance and a California university student, filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s Department of Education to challenge a recently published regulation that forces universities to…...

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American Atheists Edges Closer to Victory in Lawsuit Against Christian Nationalist Arkansas State Senator Jason Rapert

Little Rock, AR—December 15, 2020—Today, the civil rights organization American Atheists celebrated a victory in its lawsuit for free speech and religious equality against Arkansas State Senator Stanley Jason Rapert. Judge Kristine G. Baker of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas denied Rapert’s supplemental motion…...

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Today’s Supreme Court Decision Gives COVID-19 Deniers Ammo to Defy Public Health Orders

Washington, D.C.—December 10, 2020—Today, the civil rights organization American Atheists warned about the grave consequences of the Supreme Court’s 8-0 decision in Tanzin v. Tanvir. COVID-19 deniers will now be able to use this ruling to defy public health measures that combat the pandemic. In today’s decision, the Supreme Court…...

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