Tag:

Religious Freedom

New Britain, CT
Schools
Group Threatens To Sue New Britain Schools For Suspending Teacher Over Crucifix Group Threatens To Sue New Britain Schools For Suspending Teacher Over Crucifix
Group Threatens To Sue New Britain Schools For Suspending Teacher Over Crucifix A Connecticut teacher was placed on administrative leave earlier this month after refusing to remove a crucifix affixed to a wall near her desk, authorities said. Now, a group known for handling religious liberty cases in public schools is championing her cause. Marisol Arroyo-Castro, who has worked in Connecticut schools for 32 years, has been a teacher at DiLoreto Elementary & Middle School in New Britain since 2003. She has kept the crucifix by her desk for a decade, according to a Jan. 21 letter from the First Liberty Institute. However, in December, one of the school’s vice princip…

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by Josh Lanier
Harrisburg, PA
News
Dauphin County Prison Cut Heat, Power, Deprived Inmates Of Basics: Lawsuit Dauphin County Prison Cut Heat, Power, Deprived Inmates Of Basics: Lawsuit
Dauphin County Prison Cut Heat, Power, Deprived Inmates Of Basics: Lawsuit Dauphin County Prison officials cut heat and electricity, confiscated toilet paper, and stripped inmates of basic necessities in response to alleged drug use, according to a federal lawsuit filed on December 17, 2024. The lawsuit, brought by the Abolitionist Law Center, accuses prison staff of imposing inhumane conditions on detainees in restricted housing units (RHU) in late 2023. Court records allege that officials punished detainees after discovering synthetic marijuana, allegedly smuggled in by prison staff. Instead of addressing internal misconduct, officials targeted incarcerated indiv…

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by Jillian Pikora
Cambridge, MA
News
Pride Flags Pulled Down At Natick Churches, Anti-LGBTQ Letters Left Behind Pride Flags Pulled Down At Natick Churches, Anti-LGBTQ Letters Left Behind
Pride Flags Pulled Down At Natick Churches, Anti-lgbtq Letters Left Behind Two Natick churches said they had flags showing support of the LGBTQ community torn down and replaced with banners proclaiming "Jesus Is King" over the weekend. Anti-gay letters were also left behind at the houses of worship.  Christ Lutheran Church and First Congregational Church of Natick posted on Facebook about the incidents that happened late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, July 27-28.  First Congregational Rev. Cindy Worthington-Berry posted that the church's pride, transgender, and mental health flags were all removed and thrown under some nearby bushes.&n…

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by Josh Lanier
Albany, NY
News
Eclipse Prison Lockdown Violates NY Inmates’ Religious Rights, Lawsuit Claims Eclipse Prison Lockdown Violates NY Inmates’ Religious Rights, Lawsuit Claims
Eclipse Prison Lockdown Violates NY Inmates’ Religious Rights, Lawsuit Claims Click here for an updated story: Six Woodbourne Inmates Permitted To View Eclipse After Suing Over Religious Rights Several New York prison inmates are suing the state over a planned lockdown at correctional facilities during the upcoming total solar eclipse. The federal lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of New York on Friday, March 29, on behalf of six inmates who are incarcerated at Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Sullivan County. It states that although they come from varying backgrounds and hold different religious beliefs, “they have each expressed a sincerely held r…

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by Michael Mashburn
Fairfax, VA
News
Conservative Christian Group Refused Service For Religious Beliefs At Virginia Restaurant Conservative Christian Group Refused Service For Religious Beliefs At Virginia Restaurant
Conservative Christian Group Refused Service For Religious Beliefs At Virginia Restaurant Members of a conservative Christian group in Virginia were reportedly turned away from a restaurant based solely on their religious views, reports the New York Post. Christian lobbying organization, Family Foundation of Virginia, were allegedly scheduled to hold a private event ceremony at Metzger Bar and Butchery in Richmond, and received a phone call hours before the reservation alerting them that it had been cancelled. Metzger Bar and Butchery then acknowledged in a social media post that they canceled the reservation due to religious beliefs and political advocacy of the foundation, prid…

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by Annie DeVoe
Drexel Hill-Upper Darby, PA
News
Satanic Clothing Is Now Allowed At This PA School District Thanks To Local Congregation Satanic Clothing Is Now Allowed At This PA School District Thanks To Local Congregation
Satanic Clothing Is Now Allowed At This PA School District Thanks To Local Congregation A Pennsylvania school district has recently decided to allow its students to freely express their religious beliefs — even if it means wearing satanic clothing. The Garnet Valley School District has recently changed its dress code, which previously banned "clothing displaying alcohol, drugs, tobacco, weapons, violence, obscenities, lewd or illegal behavior, sexual overtones, satanic/cult references, double meanings, or any reference that is disruptive to the educational environment," PhillyMag reports. However, the mention of "satanic/cult references" was removed as the 2022-23 school year…

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by Nicole Acosta
Cambridge, MA
Schools
Malden Charter School Sends Student Home For Wearing Hijab On First Day Malden Charter School Sends Student Home For Wearing Hijab On First Day
Malden Charter School Sends Student Home For Wearing Hijab On First Day Thursday, Aug. 18 was the first day of school at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden and a student already received a citation saying she violated the school's dress code. However, the citation regarded the student's religious attire.  The student was called down to the office for apparently wearing a hijab: a traditional head covering worn among Muslim women when they become of age.  The student was then sent home for not complying with the school's required uniform, according to a Facebook post from one of the student's older siblings. This apparently was not the first time s…

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by David Cifarelli
Monsey, NY
News
COVID-19: Feds Sue Airmont For Religious Discrimination Against Orthodox Jewish Residents COVID-19: Feds Sue Airmont For Religious Discrimination Against Orthodox Jewish Residents
Covid-19: Feds Sue Airmont For Religious Discrimination Against Orthodox Jewish Residents A federal lawsuit has been filed against the Village of Airmont to "rectify," the village's alleged effort to discriminate against its Orthodox Jewish community. Audrey Strauss, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, filed the suit on Wednesday, Dec. 2, claiming the village is preventing the community from its ability to worship and run schools. As alleged in the complaint, Strauss said Airmont has violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act by imposing land use and zoning provisions that, among other things, restrict Orthodox Jewish residents’…

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by Kathy Reakes
Pascack Valley, NJ
News
BATTLE ENDS: Woodcliff Lake Agrees To Allow Orthodox Worship Center And Pay $1.5 Million BATTLE ENDS: Woodcliff Lake Agrees To Allow Orthodox Worship Center And Pay $1.5 Million
Battle Ends: Woodcliff Lake Agrees To Allow Orthodox Worship Center And Pay $1.5 Million An Orthodox Jewish congregation will be allowed to build a new worship center in Woodcliff Lake under an agreement reached Tuesday, ending a years-long battle that the borough fought with both the religious group and the federal government. Under a pair of the agreements announced Tuesday, the feds and Valley Chabad are both dropping lawsuits against the borough for denying zoning approvals for the property at Werimus Road and Woodcliff Avenue. The borough also will pay Valley Chabad $1.5 million in damages and attorney’s fees resulting from the ordeal, under a separate agreement between th…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Fort Lee, NJ
News
No-Shave October? Yankee Fans Eye New State Law That Prohibits Facial Hair Discrimination No-Shave October? Yankee Fans Eye New State Law That Prohibits Facial Hair Discrimination
No-Shave October? Yankee Fans Eye New State Law That Prohibits Facial Hair Discrimination A New York State measure signed into law this week by Gov. Cuomo has some sports fans wondering what that could mean for the Yankees. The new law prohibits employers from what could be considered racial discrimination against workers by forcing them to do certain things with their hair. It’s intended to allow employees to keep dreadlocks, cornrows, braids, twists, and fades, among other styles, but it also has raised certain questions among followers of the neatly-trimmed Bronx bombers. Where have you gone, Sparky Lyle? Late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner established a policy …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Shelton, CT
Police & Fire
Mosque Fire In New Haven Intentionally Set, Authorities Say Mosque Fire In New Haven Intentionally Set, Authorities Say
Mosque Fire In New Haven Intentionally Set, Authorities Say With Ramadan underway, fire officials in Connecticut have determined that the blaze that broke out at a New Haven mosque was intentionally set over the weekend. Fire crews from several area departments were dispatched at approximately 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 12, to the Diyanet Mosque on Middletown Road, when a fire broke out, sending smoke billowing for several blocks. The fire reportedly started on the first floor before quickly extending to the second, causing extensive damage. Firefighters knocked down the flames within an hour, though they remained at the scene for several hours to check …

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by Zak Failla
Hackensack, NJ
Police & Fire
Bergen Sheriff Boosts Final Passover Night Synagogue Patrols After San Diego Shooting Bergen Sheriff Boosts Final Passover Night Synagogue Patrols After San Diego Shooting
Bergen Sheriff Boosts Final Passover Night Synagogue Patrols After San Diego Shooting Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton deployed officers as a force multiplier for local police around houses of worship throughout the county following Saturday morning's California synagogue shooting. Increased patrols already had been deployed for Passover. But given the circumstances -- including that Passover was ending Saturday evening -- those were enhanced even further, the sheriff said. Cureton emphasized that "no specific or credible threat" existed but that precautions were being taken. "Bergen County must continue to be a welcoming place for everyone," he said, "and that starts …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Hackensack, NJ
Politics
Grewal Joins Opposition To Federal Denial Of Health Care Proposal Grewal Joins Opposition To Federal Denial Of Health Care Proposal
Grewal Joins Opposition To Federal Denial Of Health Care Proposal New Jersey's Gurbir S. Grewal has joined a multi-state coalition of Attorneys General in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to withdraw a proposed “conscience” rule that would allow health care institutions to deny medically necessary care to patients on the basis of “religious, moral, ethical or other reasons.” New Jersey receives more than $11 billion in federal health care funding annually – funding that Grewal said could be terminated under the proposed rule if HHS determines the state has failed, or even “threatened” to fail, to comply with the rule’s requirem…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
NY AG To Sue Trump Administration Over Citizenship Census Question NY AG To Sue Trump Administration Over Citizenship Census Question
NY AG To Sue Trump Administration Over Citizenship Census Question New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is leading a multi-state coalition of elected officials who are intending to challenge President Donald Trump and the federal government’s decision to bring back a question asking about citizen status in the 2020 United States Census. On Monday night, the Commerce Department announced it would indeed reintroduce the question, which had been asked until 1960. The lawsuit was filed by Attorneys General in New York, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New…

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by Zak Failla