Washington, DC—Yesterday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that it would change its longstanding policies to allow taxpayer-funded grants to rebuild churches and other houses of worship damaged in natural disasters. This policy change would allow, for the first time, federal funds earmarked for disaster relief to be used…...
Atheists File Suit Against NJ County After Government Money Used to Promote Religious Ceremonies
Cranford, NJ—American Atheists filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Newark, New Jersey today alleging that the Bergen County Animal Shelter repeatedly devoted government resources to the promotion and performance of religious ceremonies in a county facility, despite warnings from American Atheists against the practice....
Atheists File Federal Lawsuit After Student Disciplined, Harassed for Sitting Out Pledge
Houston, TX—American Atheists filed a federal lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, alleging that a high school senior has been subjected to years of harassment by teachers, administrators, and other students because she opted to not participate in the Pledge of Allegiance. The…...
Atheist Groups Demand Schools Protect Students’ Free Speech Rights, Cease Unconstitutional Pre-Game Prayers
Cranford, NJ—American Atheists today joined with attorneys and leaders from five other national atheist and secular groups to demand that Bossier Parish Schools immediately rescind a policy permitting schools to punish students who kneel during the playing of the national anthem before sporting events, and also that the district end…...
Threat Against Anthem Protesters Puts Louisiana Superintendent in Hot Water
Cranford, NJ—American Atheists today sent a demand letter to Bossier Parish Schools (Louisiana) Superintendent Scott Smith, shown above, demanding that he retract a district policy highlighted by national news coverage that requires student athletes to stand for the National Anthem or face discipline....
Statement from American Atheists President on Jeff Mateer Judicial Nomination
Cranford, NJ—In response to statements made in 2015 by President Donald Trump’s nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Jeff Mateer, American Atheists president David Silverman released the following statement: In Jeff Mateer, President Trump has nominated a person to the federal bench whose statements…...