Press Statement
For Immediate Release: August 3, 2020
Contact: Lacey McNeil, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
First Liberty Institute, Private School Association Applaud Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan for Respecting Religious Autonomy
Decision to reign in local health agencies respects the freedom, autonomy of religious schools
Washington, D.C.—Following the announcement by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan prohibiting local health departments from banning all private schools from reopening, Jeremy Dys, Special Counsel for Litigation and Communications to First Liberty Institute, and Jamison Coppola, Legislative Director for American Association of Christian Schools, issued the following joint statement:
We appreciate Governor Hogan’s efforts to balance the needs for public health while respecting the freedom, and religious autonomy, of private, religious institutions. We share his concern for the health and safety of the hundreds of private, Christian students and teachers in Maryland and thousands throughout the country. Not only are we committed to following appropriate health and safety guidance from the CDC and other public health agencies, we agree with Governor Hogan that blanket dictates from central planning rarely provide the freedom and flexibility to develop appropriate plans that meet the needs of Maryland’s private, Christian schools. Those plans are best developed by the parents and local private school administrators who care more than anyone else for the health and safety of their school community.
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