Federal Appeals Court: County Meetings May Open with Invocation
Watch Kelly Shackelford explain what this ruling means for America On Wednesday, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that the Board of Commissioners themselves in Jackson County, Michigan may open meetings with invocations. The decision—in which First Liberty represented commissioners of Jackson County, Michigan—comes from […]
Back to School: 7 Religious Liberty Victories Students Should Know About
Last week’s edition of Liberty Watch included “25 Surprising Facts You Need to Know About Religion in Public School.” As the new school year launches into full gear, read these stories of seven students from kindergarten to college who stood up for their religious freedom in school — and won. […]
The Making of the First Amendment: Religious Freedom’s Crowning Legal Achievement
Editor’s Note: The First Amendment guarantees of freedom of religion and speech are coming under increased pressure today, as seen in numerous cases in which First Liberty Institute and others defending religious freedom are involved. In this environment, it is crucial that more citizens know the history and significance of […]
Court Rules Against Coach Kennedy. Is “Prayer the New Pornography?”
“Banning all coaches from praying silently in public just because they can be seen is wrong,” First Liberty President and CEO Kelly Shackelford stated in a press release. “This is not the America contemplated by our Constitution,” said Shackelford, after three federal judges upheld a school’s prayer ban against Coach […]
All 50 State Constitutions Mention God or Use Religious References, Pew Research Finds
Despite America’s size and diversity, an analysis by Pew Research Center has found something that all 50 states have in common: a state constitution that contains one or more references to God or the divine. Pew discovered that references to God or the divine occur almost 200 times among the […]
First Liberty Gives its 2017 Religious Liberty Award at The American Legion National Convention
First Liberty Institute was pleased to announce United States Senator Ted Cruz as the recipient of the 2017 Philip B. Onderdonk Jr. Religious Liberty Award on Wednesday, August 23. The Texas senator accepted the award from Kelly Shackelford at The American Legion 2017 National Convention In Reno, Nevada following a […]
