All articles tagged with #religious discrimination
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 The ministry, which serves at-risk youth, claims the funding was revoked because it requires staff to adhere to its Christian faith.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.
The Satanic Temple's display in the Iowa Capitol has sparked controversy, with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds expressing objection and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stating he would have blocked a similar display in his state. DeSantis also used the issue to criticize his opponent in the 2024 Republican presidential nomination race. The discussion highlights the perception among Republicans that Christianity is under attack, while the Satanic Temple gains attention and raises questions about religious freedom and the IRS granting them recognition as a religious organization.
A group of Republican attorneys general, led by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, are criticizing the Biden administration for a proposed rule that they argue would effectively exclude Christian families from fostering children and harm the foster care system nationwide. The rule, called Safe and Appropriate Foster Care Placement Requirements, would require foster parents to use a child's chosen pronouns, name, and allow them to dress according to their self-identified gender identity. The attorneys general claim that this rule discriminates against people of the Christian faith and violates the Constitution. They argue that faith-based organizations play a crucial role in the foster care system and that the proposed rule would limit the number of available foster homes, increase costs, and decrease care options. The Biden administration has not yet responded to these concerns.
The Israel-Hamas war has raised concerns about religious discrimination in the United States, with Democrats and younger voters seeing prejudice as a major problem for Muslims, according to a recent poll. The issue is creating new divisions in the American electorate and could have an impact on the upcoming presidential election.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has filed a lawsuit against Vermont officials on behalf of Mid Vermont Christian School (MVCS), which forfeited a girls basketball game against a transgender student. The school was subsequently barred from future tournaments and expelled from the Vermont Principal's Association. The lawsuit accuses school officials of religious discrimination for denying MVCS participation in the state's tuition program and sports league due to their beliefs. The ADF argues that the school is being irreparably harmed by the exclusion, as it is unable to compete in sports and academic competitions. The complaint states that the school's religious beliefs affirm that biological boys are boys and cannot affirm otherwise.
Coach USA is facing a class action lawsuit for allegedly failing to transport protesters to the March for Israel rally, with the plaintiff claiming religious discrimination. Doron Orbach, who is Jewish and Israeli, alleges that Coach USA drivers refused to pick up the scheduled passengers, resulting in a violation of civil and human rights. The lawsuit claims that the drivers staged a "sick out" as a coordinated effort to avoid transporting the predominantly Jewish or Israeli passengers. Orbach is seeking unspecified damages for the alleged discrimination. Coach USA denies involvement in the incident and states that they successfully transported passengers to the rally as planned.