by Jorge Gomez • 2 minutes
On Monday, Sept. 8, the President’s Religious Liberty Commission will hold its second hearing to discuss religious freedom issues in public education from the perspectives of parents and students.
First Liberty President and CEO Kelly Shackelford serves as one of the Commissioners, offering three decades of legal expertise.
The hearing will be held at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. The session will be livestreamed at 9 a.m. EDT. You can watch it on the Dept. of Justice website.
In this hearing, the Commission’s goal is to understand the history of religious liberty in public education, recognize threats and identify opportunities to secure religious liberty in this area.
The hearing will include testimony from parents, as well as elementary, secondary, undergraduate and graduate students.
The Commission will hear from First Liberty Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys and other experts on religious freedom and public education.
Several First Liberty clients will have the opportunity to tell their stories. They’ll share about their legal battles, and how they’ve been impacted by religious discrimination and attacks on their constitutional rights.
Established by executive order from President Trump on May 1 (The National Day of Prayer), the Religious Liberty Commission is tasked with assessing the current state of religious freedom and offering recommendations to preserve and strengthen it for future generations.
Chaired by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, with Dr. Ben Carson serving as vice chair, the commission includes pastors, legal scholars, public officials and faith leaders.
Kelly Shackelford represents the only nonprofit religious liberty legal organization of its kind on the Commission.
He notes that the Religious Liberty Commission is evidence of a massive shift in favor of religious freedom in America. He says this is an opportunity fully reclaim our First Amendment rights and to fully reestablish our First Freedom.
“Administrations come and go, but opportunities like this come around once in a generation,” Kelly said. “My goal on the Commission is not just to recommend changes that will last for one President, but changes that will be permanent or long lasting in protecting and advancing religious freedom for all Americans.”
With a 30-year legacy of defending religious liberty for all Americans, First Liberty will contribute institutional support and strategic counsel throughout the Commission’s work.
Committed to constitutional originalism and backed by landmark legal victories—including nine wins at the U.S. Supreme Court—First Liberty brings a uniquely qualified perspective. That background will be invaluable in shaping the Commission’s final report with real-world insights, tested legal strategies and a principled defense of our founding freedoms.
The Commission is expected to hold two more meetings before the end of 2025.
On Sept. 29, the Commission will continue its focus on education and hear from teachers and coaches, as well as discuss religious liberty issues in school funding and educational choice.
On Nov. 17, the Commission will consider religious freedom in the military.
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