All articles tagged with #religious discrimination
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott launched a review that could revoke current state funding and block future funds for Houston’s IAH and Dallas–Fort Worth’s DFW airports over Islamic ablution stations and a prayer room, arguing the facilities may constitute illegal religious discrimination and urging a federal review; DFW says it will not move forward with the project, though Abbott’s action could still affect funding.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed a review of state grants to Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston’s IAH after DFW scrapped a plan to install Islamic ablution washing stations, arguing government airports cannot favor one religion. He referred both airports to the USDOT for investigation and signaled grant revocation if discrimination is found; IAH already has similar facilities, and DFW says the project was accelerated by public interest but ultimately would not deliver operational benefits.
Luke Salmons, a former North Yorkshire Police officer, settled his religious-discrimination claim after saying he was suspended and forced to resign for questioning Islam during DEI training, including an alleged remark that he didn’t like his beliefs. He resigned during an investigation, later was removed from the policing barred list on appeal, and the settlement remains confidential with no job reinstatement or apology yet. The case underscores tensions around religion, free expression, and DEI initiatives in UK policing.
The Washington Nationals fired Sean Hudson, their former Director of Community Relations, after a hidden video showed him admitting to blackballing pitcher Trevor Williams from social promotions due to Williams’ religious beliefs, triggering scrutiny and calls for action.
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Hatch Trick Inc, alleging the Chick-fil-A franchisee refused a Saturday-off accommodation for an employee observing the Sabbath, offered a lower-paying driver role instead, and fired her after she declined.
The University of Oklahoma removed a teaching assistant after a student accused her of religious discrimination for failing her gender-based essay that cited the Bible and opposed multiple genders, sparking debates over academic freedom and religious expression in education.
The University of Oklahoma fired a teaching assistant after she gave a student a failing grade for citing the Bible and expressing conservative Christian views on gender, sparking debates over academic freedom and religious expression on campus.
Zohran Mamdani, a candidate in the 2025 NYC mayoral race, shared a personal story about his aunt feeling unsafe in her hijab after 9/11, highlighting ongoing discrimination against Muslims. His remarks sparked criticism from JD Vance, who argued that the story minimized the tragedy of 9/11, amid a tense campaign marked by debates over Islamophobia and public safety.
71Five Ministries, a Christian youth ministry in Oregon, is suing the state's education department for allegedly cutting its funding due to its religious character. The ministry, which serves at-risk youth, claims the funding was revoked because it requires staff to adhere to its Christian faith. The lawsuit, filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, argues that this violates the ministry's constitutional rights. The case has concluded oral arguments and awaits a judge's decision.
An Orthodox Jewish passenger is suing JetBlue for religious discrimination after he was removed from a plane for refusing to sit next to a woman due to his religious beliefs. The passenger and his companions had to pay to change their flights after being told to leave the plane, despite other passengers being allowed to switch seats. JetBlue stated that it strives to accommodate various customer requests but could not comment further due to pending litigation.
Protests have erupted in India over the implementation of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which introduces a religion-based citizenship test favoring non-Muslim refugees. Critics argue that the law discriminates against Muslim asylum seekers, and its timing, just before Ramadan and national elections, has raised concerns. The government denies these accusations, but activists and opposition leaders view the law as a divisive move and a threat to India's secularism. The CAA's implementation has reignited the fight for equality and justice, with ongoing protests and legal challenges against the law.
Actor Rockmond Dunbar's lawsuit against 20th Television for firing him over refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine, citing religious beliefs, is heading to trial. The trial will assess whether the studio discriminated against him and whether reasonable accommodations could have been offered. The decision could impact how studios handle exemptions to vaccine mandates in the future. The court dismissed other claims but allowed the religious discrimination claim to proceed. Similar cases involving religious exemptions and vaccine mandates in the entertainment industry are also being contested in court.
ABC will face trial over religious discrimination claims from two former General Hospital crewmembers who were fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, with a judge ruling that the crewmembers may have had sincerely held religious beliefs that ABC should have accommodated. The court found that ABC may have discriminated against the crewmembers on the basis of their religion by failing to find a workaround for their refusal to get vaccinated. However, the court also ruled in favor of ABC on the claim for invasion of privacy. This ruling comes after ABC defeated a similar lawsuit from an actor over his dismissal for refusing the vaccine, with the court finding it impossible for actors to safely work on set without being vaccinated due to the nature of their work.
Dad's Place, a church in Ohio, is suing the city of Bryan over religious discrimination after the pastor faced criminal charges for allowing homeless individuals to stay at the church. The city cited zoning and safety concerns, but the church argues that providing shelter is a religious activity. The lawsuit seeks to drop the charges and ensure the city does not force out those staying at the church. The city claims the church has zoning violations and safety issues, while the church argues it is fulfilling its religious duty to care for the homeless.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has directed the state’s universities to facilitate the transfer of out-of-state students facing antisemitism and religious harassment to Florida campuses in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, despite little evidence of demand. The directive, which covers all students facing religious persecution, has drawn criticism for potentially singling out Jewish students and for being more politically motivated than aimed at solving the problem of antisemitism on college campuses. The move comes amid ongoing tensions and protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict on campuses across the U.S.