All articles tagged with #establishment clause
A federal lawsuit accuses Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins of proselytizing federal employees by frequently invoking Jesus in work emails, alleging this violates the Establishment Clause and pressures staff to share her beliefs, with plaintiffs saying the messages create coercion and potential retaliation for opting out.
A department-wide Easter message from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, praising Easter and Christian themes, sparked internal backlash among USDA’s roughly 100,000 employees and a formal complaint to the Office of Special Counsel alleging establishment of religion; USDA defends the email as lawful, while critics say government resources should not promote a specific religion, with the Freedom From Religion Foundation also filing complaints. The incident highlights ongoing debates about the role of faith in federal communications and policy.
The full 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a lower court’s injunction blocking Louisiana HB 71, allowing the state law requiring Ten Commandments displays in every public classroom to proceed. The court said it is premature to decide whether the displays would violate the Establishment Clause, noting the record lacks concrete facts to assess constitutionality. The decision covers only Louisiana, with related consideration of a Texas case ongoing; the plaintiffs (led by the ACLU and allied groups) will continue challenging the law as the litigation moves forward.
The full 5th U.S. Circuit Court will hear en banc challenges to Texas and Louisiana laws mandating Ten Commandments displays in public school classrooms, a test of the Establishment Clause. Texas seeks full-court review, Louisiana’s law has been blocked in district court, and the disputes are likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court.