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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is constitutionally off the mark in taking umbrage at two Freedom From Religion Foundation letters about religious freedoms in her state. The governor has formally pushed back in writing against recent FFRF communiques to Auburn University and Snead State Community College about Coach Hugh … More »
Watch the preview here. The guest on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s TV show this Sunday delves into the immense power of American Catholic bishops — and the sources of that power. Mary Jo McConahay is a journalist with a distinguished career. She’s been a war … More »
Auburn University must put a stop to religion in its athletic programs, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting, after multiple coaches promoted a religious worship event where head football coach Hugh Freeze baptized a player. The state/church watchdog has received numerous reports that Freeze, … More »
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is showing how one religious zealot in a government position can cause untold havoc. For more than six months, the senior senator from the Yellowhammer State has held up hundreds of military nominations to protest Pentagon policy ensuring that service members … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is pleased that the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors has voted unanimously to overturn its decision to declare every July “American Christian History Month.” The motion to rescind the proclamation was put forward by Supervisor John Hidahl, who originally … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is delighted that Minnesota’s Eastern Carver County Schools district is moving its high school graduations out of Grace Church in Eden Prairie. At a special school board meeting on Sept. 6, the board was told by its legal counsel that … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is pleased to report that Skiatook Public Schools has removed Christian displays from multiple classrooms after the state/church watchdog alerted officials to the constitutional violations. A concerned district community member informed FFRF that there were several religious messages displayed at … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is disgusted to see anti-science Christian nationalist governors once again endanger the nation’s health. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders summoned lawmakers to Little Rock for a special session last week in part to ban the state from mandating Covid-19 vaccinations. … More »
The Virginia governor, who ran as a “parents’ rights” candidate, has unpardonably pardoned a father who violently disrupted a school board’s discussion of trans inclusive bathroom policies. Scott Smith, who was convicted of two misdemeanors related to the incident, claimed a “boy wearing a skirt” … More »
Watch the preview here. The guest on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday TV show has exposed the massive role that J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI played in fostering white Christian nationalism. Lerone Martin is the Martin Luther King Jr Centennial Professor and director of the Martin … More »
A California school district has swiftly made certain that its schools are more inclusive after the Freedom From Religion Foundation alerted it about a problematic poster pushing prayer and Jesus. A concerned Victor Valley Union High School District student had informed the state/church watchdog that … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is rebuking two President Trump-appointed federal appeals court judges for gratuitously injecting a bible verse into a debate about an unrelated legal question. The judges, who both sit on the archconservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, unnecessarily cited a … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is telling Charlotte County Public Schools to immediately end coach-led religious activities, including Christian baptisms, from a high school football program. A concerned community member has informed the national state/church watchdog that the Port Charlotte High School football team has … More »
Stop foisting your religion upon your public employees, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is admonishing the president of Snead State Community College. A concerned employee of the college has informed the state/church watchdog that President Joe Whitmore has been imposing his personal religious beliefs on … More »
Update: In August, the board not only passed a motion to close libraries Sundays beginning in September, but is also considering disaffiliating from the American Library Association because the ALA supposedly has “a clear animosity and resentment toward the family and traditional religious values.” The … More »
After purging its public school of books and reality-based curricula, Florida is now seemingly trying to fill that void with hand-picked propaganda — and Oklahoma is going even further. The Freedom From Religion Foundation warns that an industrial-scale disinformation campaign by the deceptively named PragerU … More »
Watch the preview here. The lively guest on Freedom From Religion Foundation’s “Freethought Matters” TV show this Sunday has made an art of educating about science in the rap form. Baba Brinkman is an atheist and New York-based rap artist. He’s best known for his series … More »
In a predictable but still audacious move, Joe Kennedy has resigned from his assistant coaching position at Bremerton High School, Wash., after just the first game, confirming that his motive was to performatively promote religion rather than coach students. As the Freedom From Religion Foundation … More »
New York City should rescind its special privileging of the Muslim call to prayer, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting to the mayor. The city has granted special permission for mosques to amplify their call to prayer on Fridays and at sunset every night … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is issuing a strong response — including a local billboard, op-eds and a “Know Your Rights” campaign for students — to a disturbing publicity stunt on the part of prayerful Bremerton Coach Joe Kennedy. Today, Friday, Sept. 1, Kennedy returns … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation deplores the announcement by Denmark’s government that it wants to make it illegal to desecrate any “holy book.” The proposal follows a series of violent reactions in the Muslim world to several public burnings or so-called desecrations of Qurans in … More »
Watch the preview here. “Freethought Matters” is back! The guest on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s first TV show of the new season asserts that religion is declining globally — and has the data to prove it. Phil Zuckerman is professor of sociology and secular studies … More »
The Enfield Public Schools system has removed the offensive practice of opening its board meetings with a prayer after the Freedom From Religion Foundation objected. The state/church watchdog was contacted by a concerned community member who reported that members of the Enfield Board of Education … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation was recently informed that it successfully thwarted a planned North Carolina county religious outing for seniors. Davie County Senior Services was organizing and sponsoring a trip to the Creation Museum, Ark Encounter and St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging over 600 Ohio school districts not to be pressured into allowing released time for students to attend bible study programs. The state/church watchdog has recently been contacted by concerned Ohioans regarding LifeWise Academy’s increasing presence in Ohio’s public … More »
Thanks to the work of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, New Riegel Local Schools in Ohio will no longer include prayer at graduation ceremonies. The national state/church watchdog was contacted by a concerned school community member who informed it that the New Riegel High School … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting that Cobb County School District in Georgia include the bible in its current book-banning campaign. The district recently started banning books from its schools based on “highly inappropriate, sexually explicit” content, removing Flamer, by Mike Curato, and Me … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation says the Abilene-Wylie Independent School District in Texas deserves an “F” for its practice of imposing multiple prayers during mandatory staff meetings. A concerned district employee informed the state/church watchdog that staff were led in prayer several times during mandatory … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s 46th annual national convention is quickly approaching — and you won’t want to miss it! The gathering will take place Friday, Oct. 13, and Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, Wis., with the annual membership … More »
Update: CNN recently informed FFRF that it will be delaying the show by a week. Please look for the CNN abortion special (and FFRF's Ron Reagan ad) on Sunday night, Sept. 3. Look for the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s iconic commercial, featuring “unabashed atheist” Ron … More »
The Archdiocese of Denver has risen to new heights of audacity by filing a lawsuit complaining that a new universal preschool funding law banning discrimination therefore discriminates against the Catholic Church. The archdiocese is challenging the law paying for 15 hours a week of preschool … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has put up a billboard in Ohio’s capital saying “Abort Theocracy: Keep Abortion Safe & Legal” ahead of a crucial referendum on the issue. The national state/church watchdog group and its Columbus chapter designed the billboard message in support of … More »
Cease the prayer walks that you are conducting with a local church, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Marion County Public Schools system. A concerned community member has informed the state/church watchdog that the district allowed members of the Church of Hope to … More »
The Freedom from Religion Foundation is proud to announce the 11 winners and 11 honorable mentions of the 2023 David Hudak Memorial Black, Indigenous and Persons of Color Student Essay Competition. FFRF has paid more than $17,000 in award money for the contest this year. BIPOC … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation condemns yesterday’s reprehensible U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in favor of severe abortion medication restrictions. Not only would this ruling limit abortion medication to just seven weeks of gestation, but it would also ban telemedicine and mail-order shipments … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has successfully convinced the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District in Middleton, Wis. to allow the girls swim and dive team to participate in an invitational competition held during the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah. A concerned district parent had informed the … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is taking legal action to preserve its 2018 New Jersey Supreme Court win that halted unconstitutional official funding of church repairs. The state/church watchdog filed a motion today, on behalf of itself and New Jersey taxpayer David Steketee, to intervene … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is once again asking the Dorchester School District Two School Board to stop opening meetings with a scheduled prayer. In 2021, FFRF contacted the district after being notified that the school board meetings and many other school-sponsored events opened with … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is decrying a U.S. district judge’s order requiring Southwest Airlines lawyers to take “religious-liberty training” from a theocratic legal group. A flight attendant sued Southwest with the claim that she was fired for expressing her opposition to abortion rights — … More »
In honor of one of secularism’s many talented voices, the poet Rupert Brooke (1887-1915) — whose birthday is today, Aug. 3 — the Freedom From Religion Foundation is sharing the animated music video we produced featuring his charmingly irreverent poem, “Heaven.” It’s written from … More »
A Michigan school district has deleted Christian prayer from its senior award ceremony after the Freedom From Religion Foundation conveyed the objection of parents to officials. A concerned Vicksburg Community Schools parent had informed the state/church watchdog that the May 2023 Vicksburg High School senior … More »
Due to the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s efforts, Burnet Consolidated ISD will no longer promote a prayer marathon event before the start of the fall semester. A concerned complainant reported that the district was encouraging community members to “pray for the first day” of classes … More »
A national state/church watchdog group is chastising a California county board for adopting an un-American resolution designating July as “American Christian History Month.” Not only did the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors, based in Placerville, Calif., declare the past month as “American Christian History … More »
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, ACLU, Freedom From Religion Foundation and Education Law Center just filed a lawsuit to stop Oklahoma officials from creating the nation’s first religious public charter school. Please join us for a special virtual briefing on Wednesday, Aug. … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is excited, in association with the Women’s Leadership Project, to announce the 2023 Lorraine Hansberry Humanist Scholarship awardees. FFRF has helped to fund scholarships for nine college students this year, totaling $5,500. The honorees were chosen by the Women’s Leadership … More »
Three books removed from a Colorado school system’s libraries at the request of a conservative group will be back on the shelves after the Freedom From Religion Foundation and a local activist demanded that the district either put the books back or ban the … More »
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Freedom From Religion Foundation is part of a coalition of groups representing nine Oklahoma residents and a pro-public school nonprofit filing a lawsuit today in Oklahoma state court challenging the nation’s first religious public charter school, St. Isidore of Seville … More »
Women are virtual gender prisoners in Afghanistan. The Taliban announced Tuesday that all beauty salons in Afghanistan must close. Beauty salons were a last sanctuary for Afghan women, also employing more than 60,000. Women are barred from education after grade school, from public places … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that the Oklahoma state superintendent of public instruction immediately resign due to repeated misuse of his office to promote religion in public schools in disregard of his constitutional obligations. Superintendent Ryan Walters held a press conference on July … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation condemns the Guam Senate for overriding Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero’s veto of a bill permitting taxpayer-funded religious charter schools in the territory. Earlier this month, the Guam Legislature passed Bill 62-37 authored by Sen. Chris Barnett, which seeks to “remove … More »
The newest episode of “We Dissent” has just aired, taking a deep dive into what some may call a “supreme mess” as the Supreme Court continues to mess up civil rights for everyone. In episode 20, FFRF’s Rebecca Markert and Liz Cavell discuss two opinions … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is delighted to see that increasing numbers of Americans would concur with the motto coined by FFRF’s principal founder Anne Nicol Gaylor: There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Josephine County Board of Commissioners, based in Grants Pass, to resume funding the Oregon State University Extension Service, after the board misguidedly voted to defund it for maintaining religiously neutral programming. FFRF understands that the county voted … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is strongly urging the Garfield Re-2 School Board in Rifle, Colo., to reject the Christian nationalist “American Birthright” standards currently under consideration that would radically alter its social studies curriculum. A concerned district parent has reported that the board is … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is pleased to report that a member of the Peoria (Ariz.) Unified School District governing board has agreed to stop reciting bible verses during meetings — at least for now. The national state/church watchdog applauds the district for taking appropriate … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that Leon County Schools must ban the bible due to its sexual and violent content after the school system has banned several books at the request of Moms for Liberty. FFRF, a national state/church watchdog, has learned that … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a national association of atheists and agnostics based in Madison, Wis., is requesting an apology from local Dane County Board Supervisor Jeff Weigand for recent unprovoked attacks against the nonbelieving community. FFRF asks Weigand to stop maligning the 40 … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is ardently defending free speech in the Mile High City. A 14-by-48-foot billboard proclaiming “Any book worth banning is a book worth reading” has just gone up for four weeks in Denver on Interstate 70 North facing east, half a … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging Target to disregard a letter from some state attorneys general falsely insisting its current pride collection violates laws protecting minors. In a July 5 letter to Target, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and six other attorneys general made … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting that a South Carolina school system immediately end the practice of scheduling divisive prayers to open its meetings. FFRF has been informed by a concerned community member that the Colleton County School District regularly starts meetings with a … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting that a county board in Wisconsin remove inappropriate and divisive phrasing from a recently passed resolution. A concerned community member has informed the state/church watchdog that at the Oconto County Board of Supervisors’ May 18 meeting, it approved … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is one of three sets of plaintiffs making the case today for removal of a Ten Commandments monolith from the grounds of the Arkansas Capitol in the federal courtroom of Judge Kristine G. Baker. FFRF Legal Counsel Sam Grover … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is objecting to Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s recent proclamation, deeming July 2, 2023, as a “Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving.” Cox proclaimed Sunday, July 2, as a day of prayer after Utah experienced record-breaking snowfall last winter following a two-year … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is one of 21 member groups belonging to the Secular Coalition of America that is calling out recent anti-atheist comments by Donald Trump. In remarks to the Faith and Freedom Conference on June 24, Trump stated, “Together, we’re warriors in … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is asking the York County Council, S.C., to stop opening its governmental meetings with Christian prayer. The national state/church watchdog has notified the council that its practice of hosting Christian prayer, which is led by Council members and delivered “In … More »
After complaints by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and a sustained campaign by local freethinking groups, a hilltop cross has been removed from public property in California — at least for now. FFRF was first contacted in 2015 by members of the East Bay Atheists … More »
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling today in a case brought by an anti-gay business owner against the state of Colorado will embolden religious bigots to deny service to LGBTQ-plus Americans, charges the Freedom From Religion Foundation. “Once again, the Trump-packed high court has issued an … More »
In an unanimous opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a narrow ruling “clarifying” the standard for evaluating religious accommodations in the workplace while refusing to overrule longstanding precedent. In Groff v. DeJoy, which involved a challenge by a rural … More »
The U.S. Supreme Court has thwarted a major threat to our country’s democracy. In a 6-3 opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts in Moore v. Harper today, the court rejected the so-called “independent state legislature” theory that could have endangered our democratic process. While … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is requesting that the New College of Florida Board of Trustees end the practice of opening each meeting with Christian prayers. An employee of New College of Florida, a public institution based in Sarasota, has informed FFRF that the board … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that the Academy School District 20 ban the bible due to its sexual and violent content after the school system banned several books at the request of a local conservative anti-LGBTQ group. FFRF has learned that Academy School … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is once again reminding New York City Mayor Eric Adams of his constitutional obligation to respect the principle of state/church separation. On Father’s Day, June 18, Adams spoke at Lenox Road Baptist Church, where he was introduced as mayor, and … More »
Allowing chaplains in public schools would violate the state and U.S. constitutions, insists a letter that prominent national groups sent to Texas school boards and charter schools today. The Freedom From Religion Foundation, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas and Americans United for … More »
Update: In a previous version of its press release, FFRF stated that Superintendent Ryan Walters had formed the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Founding Principals. The group was formed by a group of pastors. The Freedom From Religion Foundation is condemning Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, with the help of an area member, has rented a billboard at Cohasset Road, north of Thorntree, in Chico, Calif., to send a message to the local Little League team about its exclusionary religious player pledge. The billboard carries a … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has once again written the Davis School District, to object to its hypocritical vote yesterday to restore the King James Bible to lower grade libraries, while keeping many other book bans in place. The district in Farmington, Utah, can’t use … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has moved to file a friend-of-the-court brief before the Wisconsin State Supreme Court opposing the argument by five religiously-affiliated nonprofit organizations that they should be exempted from paying into the state unemployment system. The Superior-based Catholic Charities Bureau, the social … More »
U.S. Rep. Josh Hawley of Missouri has embarrassed himself and the nation with his offensive tweet about Juneteenth. “Today is a good day to remember: Christianity is the faith and America is the place slavery came to die,” Hawley tweeted on Juneteenth (June 19). In fact, … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is raising the alarm about a Christian foster farm in Alabama. FFRF has been informed that “Freedom Farm,” a Christian foster care community, has been seeking taxpayer funds to fulfill its Christian mission and construct a new compound, which includes … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is pleased to report that the Dickinson Independent School District in Texas will no longer include proselytizing remarks in future graduation ceremonies. A concerned district parent reported that Principal Billye Smith delivered a speech in which she quoted scripture during … More »
Photo credit: Brent Nicastro Congratulations to Ellery Schempp and his sister Donna, on the 60th anniversary of the case they brought that resulted in a landmark decision by the Supreme Court in 1963 declaring unconstitutional bible readings and recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in public … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that the Hanover County School Board in Ashland, Va., immediately remove the bible from its school libraries as part of its new book banning crusade purportedly targeting “sexually explicit,” “vulgar” and “obscene” content. After a contentious meeting on … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is placing a dramatic full-page ad in the New York Times this Sunday, June 18, warning: “Christian nationalists are endangering our secular democracy.” The ad, urging “Stem the tide of white Christian nationalism,” features a drawing by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is running a provocative full-page ad picturing a bible and the Book of Mormon with a headline saying “BAN THESE BOOKS” in Sunday’s Salt Lake City Tribune. The national state/church watchdog is raising the stakes in its campaign to compel … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging Eastern Carver County Schools to hear the students and discontinue using Grace Church for graduation ceremonies. FFRF is asking the district to select a more appropriate, secular venue for graduation ceremonies in order to respect the First … More »
A new episode of “We Dissent” examines a crucial Supreme Court decision that will be handed down in the very near future. On episode 19, “We Dissent” hosts FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert, FFRF Attorney Liz Cavell and American Atheist Legal Director Alison Gill discuss … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is admonishing the South Dakota governor for foisting her anti-LGBTQ perspective on South Dakota’s universities. In a letter dated May 25, Gov. Kristi Noem outlined a list of goals she wants the South Dakota Board of Regents to achieve with … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that the Berkeley County School Board in South Carolina prevent members of the audience from interrupting its meetings to push Christianity by reciting the Lord’s Prayer during the moment of silence. The state/church watchdog has been alerted that … More »
It’s official! Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has signed into law a bill ending child marriage in the state, making it the ninth in the union to set 18 as the earliest age to marry — with no exceptions. The Freedom From Religion Foundation applauds … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation applauds the U.S. Supreme Court for rejecting Alabama’s attempt to weaken our secular democracy. In a 5-4 decision, the court upheld Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and ruled that Alabama’s racially gerrymandered map violated the law in diluting … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is pleased with the Oklahoma-based Keystone Public Schools for protecting the rights of its students and their family members by removing prayers from its graduation ceremonies. A concerned Keystone Public Schools parent informed the state/church watchdog that the district’s eighth … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting that the Georgia-based Houston County School District forbid its football coaches from leading students in bible study. FFRF has been informed by multiple concerned district community members that Northside High School’s new head football coach, Ben Bailey, has … More »
The Utah school district that made headlines for agreeing to remove the bible from lower grades last week did not go far enough, says the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The national state/church watchdog is renewing its request to the Davis School District, which is actively … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation salutes the Southern Poverty Law Center for including Christian nationalism for the first time in its influential “The Year in Hate & Extremism” report. “This is a significant step towards addressing the growing threat of this dangerous ideology,” says Annie … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is appalled that an official Oklahoma educational entity just approved the establishment of the first publicly funded religious charter school in the nation. In violation of basic constitutional principles and Oklahoma statutes, the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board today, … More »
A welcome new survey finds that only half of Americans are confident in the existence of God. Less than 50 percent of Americans are now sure God exists, dropping from 60 percent in 2008. The General Social Survey by NORC, the University of Chicago’s research … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Peoria Unified School District in Arizona to stop its board members from quoting incendiary Christian verses during official meetings. A concerned Peoria Unified School District employee has informed the state/church watchdog that Board Member Heather Rooks has … More »
Today marks the 102nd anniversary of the Tulsa massacre — a shameful event that had been erased from American history until recently. This was a heinous slaughter by a white mob of up to 300 African Americans, the permanent displacement of 6,000 Black Tulsans and … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is attempting to educate a Michigan county that recently passed an unconstitutional resolution. The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners has approved a resolution declaring itself a “Constitutional County.” Vice Chair Sylvia Rhodea justified this resolution by citing a “required affirmation … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is telling the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office to immediately stop promoting religion and explicitly affiliating itself with Christianity. FFRF has been alerted that the Sheriff’s Office recently hosted a baptism for inmates in partnership with Kibler Baptist Church. It then … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is condemning the Ugandan president’s catering to the agenda of U.S. Christian groups in signing the most extreme anti-homosexuality law in Africa. Despite an international outcry, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni gave his signature yesterday, May 29, to a measure that … More »
Watch the preview here. A leading authority on reproductive rights — and the Roe v. Wade case specifically — is the guest on FFRF’s TV show this Sunday. Mary Ziegler, who has been called the nation’s foremost historian of abortion law, is the Martin Luther King … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation congratulates the opposition that killed a Texas Ten Commandments-in-the-schools bill, deplores the passage of yet another six-week abortion ban and notes the shocking revelations in Illinois’ investigation of pedophile priests. First the good news: Ding dong, the bill is dead. … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is commending the Duval County School District in Jacksonville, Fla., for protecting student rights by no longer holding graduation ceremonies in churches. Executive Director of Policy and Compliance for Duval County School District Brian K. McDuffie sent a May 12 … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is dismayed that Florida public school students will now be subject to a high school athletic association advancing a Christian nationalist agenda. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed into law HB 225, which radically transforms the Florida High School Athletic … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Marlington Local Schools Board of Education to immediately stop conducting unconstitutional prayer to open its meetings. A concerned district community member has informed the state/church watchdog that the Marlington Local Schools Board of Education opens each of … More »
The newest episode of “We Dissent” covers the long, complex history of the fight for state/church separation. On episode 18, “We Dissent” hosts FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert, FFRF Attorney Liz Cavell and American Atheist Attorney Alison Gill discuss state/church separation with Professor Caroline Corbin, … More »
An Ohio school district shouldn’t hold its upcoming graduation ceremony inside a church, insists the Freedom From Religion Foundation. A concerned Groveport Madison Schools alumnus and community member has informed the state/church watchdog that in keeping with a tradition since 2020, this year’s high school graduation … More »
Watch the preview here. A leading political satirist and co-creator of “The Daily Show” talks on the Freedom From Religion Foundation Sunday TV show about her work and abortion rights advocacy. Lizz Winstead is a political satirist and a pioneering woman comedian who became co-creator and … More »
Slam the brakes on a preaching bus driver, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Portland, Ore., school district. A concerned district parent has raised serious concerns about a bus driver proselytizing to students. The parent was rightly alarmed to learn from his children … More »
The U.S. Department of Education’s updated guidance for prayer and religious expression in public schools correctly emphasizes that schools must protect students’ religious liberty by remaining secular. Christian nationalists, including some lawmakers, have wrongly asserted that a recent Supreme Court case allows teachers to pray … More »
A VA facility in West Virginia got rid of a large cross from a screening room after the Freedom From Religion Foundation objected on behalf of a veteran. A concerned community member and disabled veteran informed the state/church watchdog that on a March visit to … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, noting that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, is attempting to persuade the Oklahoma state superintendent of public education to ban the bible. The request comes after a video published on May 1 shows Superintendent Ryan … More »
Quit imposing Christianity on elementary schoolchildren, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting to an Arkansas school district. Numerous Arkansas citizens have informed the state/church watchdog that Prescott Elementary School recently distributed New Testament Bibles to its fifth and sixth grade students. A May 4 … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has complained to the Dane County Sheriff's Office over its inappropriate promotion of a Catholic mass on Tuesday. A concerned Dane County community member informed the state/church watchdog that the Dane County Sheriff's Office has been advertising a Blue Mass … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation condemns the pope’s recent statement calling pedophile priests “God’s children” in need of “Christian love.” “A god that would produce such ‘children’ is hardly a deity to be honored, much less worshiped,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “What about … More »
Watch the preview here. The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday TV show features as its guest someone who was brought up in a cult — and managed to break free. Michelle Dowd, a journalism professor at Chaffey College in Southern California, reveals on “Freethought Matters” about … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the East Hartford Police Department to immediately disband a chaplaincy program and the city to cease promotion of it on social media outlets. A concerned East Hartford resident reported that on March 8, multiple Christian religious leaders were … More »
The iconic ad recorded by Ron Reagan for the Freedom From Religion Foundation will be airing on the national NBC network for the first time — on the longest-running show ever. The spot will appear on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, May 14, and again … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that the IRS revoke the tax status of three Texas churches for donating to the campaign of a city council candidate. “Three churches in West Texas have made financial contributions to a pastor running for a hotly contested … More »
Watch the preview here. The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday TV show talks about the intersection of religion, abortion, maternal health and reproductive justice — and especially how it affects Black women. The “Freethought Matters” guest is an expert on this issue. Tiffany Green is an … More »
A Kansas school system has ended staff participation in a local Fellowship of Christian Athletes club after the Freedom From Religion Foundation complained. A concerned district parent had informed the state/church watchdog that staff members at Northeast Junior High School in Arma, Kan., had started … More »
Several forward-thinking members of Congress have introduced a National Day of Reason resolution to counter this Thursday’s National Day of Prayer. Led by Rep. Jared Huffman and Rep. Jamie Raskin, co-chairs of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, a number of legislators are championing a resolution proclaiming … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has received a welcome promise from a California public charter school that all future school functions will be free from sectarian proselytization. Several concerned parents of students attending Feather River Charter School in Meridian informed the state/church watchdog that during … More »
Mayday! Mayday! Secular democracy is capsizing! The Freedom From Religion Foundation is gravely concerned about the state of state/church separation and individual freedoms in the United States. As this is written, we’re readying a lawsuit against the expected passage of a law requiring large Ten Commandments … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is strongly opposing the participation of several Utah school districts in a soon-to-be-held religious concert. Students from as many as 18 Utah school districts and educational institutions are set to take part in the religious Hope of America event scheduled … More »
On the latest episode of the only all-women secular podcast in the United States, three powerhouse attorneys discuss the timely topic of court reform. “We Dissent” hosts FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert, FFRF Attorney Liz Cavell and American Atheist Attorney Alison Gill will be speaking … More »
Watch the preview here. An evangelical minister-turned-academic who has written a new book warning about the dangers of white Christian nationalism is the guest on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday TV show. Bradley Onishi, an expert on philosophy, theology and American religion with a degree … More »
A responsive Indiana school board ended prayer at its meetings after the Freedom From Religion Foundation pointed out the constitutional inappropriateness of the practice. A concerned Crawford County resident conveyed to the state/church watchdog that members of the county’s Board of Education regularly opened their … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has contacted a Utah school district that has prohibited at least 33 books to back up a local parent’s request to also ban the bible. After the Davis School District in Farmington, Utah, began purging books containing so-called “pornographic or … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is in disbelief at a Texas school district’s burying of a bible to commemorate a new building — and the district’s explanation isn’t helping. A concerned Harleton Independent School District alumni and community member informed the state/church watchdog that on … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is readying a court challenge of the bill expected to pass the Texas Legislature that would require every public school classroom in Texas to prominently display a copy of the Ten Commandments. It passed the Senate last week, and … More »
The fact that atheists, agnostics and the religiously unaffiliated are the most likely to recognize that human activity is causing climate change is why we “Nones” must assert ourselves. Nine-in-10 atheists understand that human activity is causing climate change, compared to a narrow majority (53 … More »
A leading researcher on the increasingly nonreligious make up of the United States is the guest on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday television show. Eastern Illinois University Professor Ryan Burge specializes in religious demography. He’s the author of the 2021 book The Nones: … More »
Copyright: Ted Eytan The Freedom From Religion Foundation is condemning the Florida Board of Education’s vote on Wednesday to expand the “Don’t Say Gay” law through the 12th grade. The new rule will ban classroom instruction in gender identity and sexual orientation in all grades, expanding … More »
The city of Minneapolis should revoke a new ordinance allowing the broadcast of an amplified call to prayer at any time of the day, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding. Multiple concerned residents have informed the state/church watchdog that the city of Minneapolis has … More »
The U.S. Supreme Court appears ready to change employment law in favor of religious workers, charges the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The court heard arguments today in Groff v. DeJoy, which involves a challenge by a rural postal carrier who is contending that he should … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation welcomes a milestone in the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s statewide investigation of clergy abuse. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul today announced that former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick will be charged with fourth-degree sexual assault of an 18-year-old man in Lake Geneva, … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is watching with bated breath — along with the rest of our emphatically pro-choice nation — whether the U.S. Supreme Court will let stand yet another anti-abortion ruling that is holding reproductive rights hostage around the country. That pending ruling … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is delighted to see a new study showing that half of Latinos born in the United States today identify as religiously unaffiliated (“Nones”). The Pew survey finds that while Catholicism remains the preferred religion among Latinos, Latinos of all ages … More »
Christian nationalist lawmakers are crying wolf over a contract termination involving pastoral care at the Walter Reed hospital, asserts the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Dozens of members of Congress are attempting to manufacture a religious crisis after Walter Reed National Military Medical Center chose not … More »
Watch the preview hereWatch the preview here. An academic opinion researcher and white Christian nationalism expert analyzes the phenomenon on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s “Freethought Matters” Sunday TV show. Robert P. Jones is the president and founder of Public Religion Research Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan … More »
The Maryland attorney general’s office has released a damning report on child sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore — yet another in a long list of bombshell reports from many different states and countries. The report, the result of a grand jury investigation initiated … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation warns that a constitutional showdown on public funding of parochial school education is occurring in Oklahoma, after the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa have applied to create a religious, public-funded charter school. The application, if … More »
Please immediately get rid of a bible verse displayed in your office, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging a North Carolina sheriff. A concerned Henderson County resident has informed the state/church watchdog that the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office proudly exhibits “Blessed are the peacemakers … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Huntington Beach City Council to completely end the practice of religious invocations before its meetings. A concerned Huntington Beach resident has reported to the state/church watchdog concerns with the Huntington Beach City Council’s prayer practices and conveyed … More »
It’s not a coincidence that a Trump-appointed federal judge handed down an outrageous decision to ban the abortion pill mifepristone on the evening of Good Friday. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk is a Christian nationalist extremist, whose nomination the Freedom From Religion Foundation actively opposed … More »
Copyright: Ted Eytan The Freedom From Religion Foundation is encouraged by an appeals court decision affirming that public schools can require even religious teachers to call transgender students by their preferred names. FFRF filed an amicus brief in the case, Kluge v. Brownsburg Community School Corporation, … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is complimenting a Virginia school district for doing the right thing in ignoring a recent misguiding missive from a Christian nationalist group. Liberty Counsel is objecting to Loudoun County Public Schools’ decision requiring a teacher to refrain from using a … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Windy City chapter has put up a display in downtown Chicago to ensure secularism is represented. On Thursday, April 6, FFRF’s Metropolitan Chicago Chapter (FFRFMCC) placed colorful banners in Daley Plaza promoting the secular views of the Founders. One banner reads … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that the superintendent of a South Carolina school district investigate multiple constitutional violations occurring throughout the school system. A concerned Union County Schools community member has informed the state/church watchdog about several such violations. The district allowed Ken … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is running a full-page ad in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette this Sunday with the headline: “Yes, Governor Huckabee-Sanders — You’re Right. ‘Schools must educate, not indoctrinate.’” There the agreement ends. The state/church watchdog, with more than 40,000 members and several chapters nationwide … More »
Watch the preview here The fascinating guest on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s “Freethought Matters” TV show Sunday explains why people seem to lose their reasoning when they join a religious movement. William J. Bernstein is a retired neurologist who’s now a financial theorist and writes … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is suggesting a major modification to the unconstitutional religious oath that candidates for office in New Jersey are forced to sign. When the New Jersey Division of Elections was contacted regarding an alternative to the religious wording, it said that … More »
It sounds almost like a parody. Today, the Texas Senate Education Committee is entertaining two extremist bills, one requiring that the Ten Commandments be installed in every public classroom and a second to permit schools to hire pastors as chaplains instead of school counselors. "A … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is calling out the fact-free remarks that a Tennessee member of Congress has recently made in response to school shootings. On March 30, Rep. Tim Burchett clarified controversial remarks he had made earlier in the week asserting that “we’re not … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has contacted the Tucson Unified School District to express its concerns over the proposed formation of a faith-based advisory committee. FFRF was notified by a concerned community member that the school district recently attempted to establish a “faith-based advisory committee” … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is warning that so-called “parental rights” bills sweeping the nation have sinister intentions. While appearing to be an innocuous way to strengthen parent involvement in schools, they are a clear attempt to dismantle trust in the public education system and … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is running a full-page ad in the Austin American-Statesman this Sunday with this headline: “Yes, Governor Abbott — You’re Right. Our schools are for education, not indoctrination.” There the agreement ends. It is Abbott, FFRF charges, who wants to use public … More »
Watch the preview here. The guests on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday “Freethought Matters” TV show have dedicated their lives to helping survivors of clergy child abuse obtain justice. Peter Isley, an advocate against priest abuse and a survivor of childhood sexual assault by a … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is asking the U.S. Supreme Court in an amicus brief not to grant employees religious privileges that harm co-workers, customers and other parties. Gerald Groff was employed as a part-time rural carrier in Pennsylvania, hired to fill in for career … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation applauds a student walkout by New Hampshire law students countering anti-trans hate by a local chapter of the Christian Legal Society. Students at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law walked out of class yesterday, March 29, … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that the IRS immediately investigate a Wisconsin church engaging in politicking. The St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Cottage Grove, Wis., has recently been involved in blatant electioneering, contends the national state/church watchdog. Pastor Brian Dulli used the church … More »
When you’re at the bottom, you can only go up. That seems to be what is happening with attitudes toward atheists in the United States, according to a recent Pew Research Center study. Americans continue to rate atheists more negatively than positively but atheists have … More »
A public charter school’s bizarre decision to force a principal to resign after an image of Michelangelo’s “David” was shown in art class is possibly due to its ties with a Christian entity. Although Florida’s Tallahassee Classical is public, its curriculum, unwisely, is designed by … More »
A new national survey has reassuring findings that Americans of almost all religions and no religion are growing ever more supportive of LGBTQ rights. For instance, eight in 10 Americans (80 percent) in the Public Religion Research Institute survey support laws against discrimination in jobs, … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is dismayed that Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has signed into law a mischief-making bill encouraging teachers to promote their personal religious beliefs. House Bill 547 will prohibit school districts from punishing employees for pushing personal religious views on children and … More »
Photo credit: Alisdare Hickson The Freedom From Religion Foundation is calling for international pressure on Uganda to stand up to American Christian fundamentalists and reject an anti-gay law that the country’s Parliament passed this week. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has 30 days from the date that the … More »
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation removed two sectarian religious displays from a local rest stop after the Freedom From Religion Foundation demanded action. The state/church watchdog was informed by a concerned Wisconsin resident that a Latin cross and a sign displaying the bible verse “Blessed … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of FFRF Action Fund Inc., which will focus on lobbying and advocacy efforts to promote the rights of nonbelievers and the separation between state and church. FFRF Action Fund is organized as a 501(c)(4) … More »
Watch the preview here. The guest on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday “Freethought Matters” TV show is a bestselling author of self-help books for kids who advises parents not to religiously indoctrinate their children. Joy Berry has written more than 200 books, selling over 85 … More »
This month on the only all-women secular podcast in the United States, three powerhouse attorneys discuss the history of legislative attacks on transgender people. “We Dissent” hosts FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert, FFRF Attorney Liz Cavell and American Atheist Attorney Alison Gill have just released … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler rescind his decision to cancel a student-hosted drag show. Wendler sent an email to students, faculty and staff on March 20 with the subject line “A Harmless Drag Show? No … More »
When I first started in the secular movement, if someone wanted me to take action on the National Prayer Breakfast, I used to quietly side-step the conversation. I knew our political hand was weak. If we made a stand against the breakfast, those efforts … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is sounding the tocsin about a proposal in the Texas Legislature that would assault the constitutional wall of separation enshrined in both the state and federal constitutions. The proposal is grandiosely and misleadingly dubbed the “Protection of Religious Liberty from … More »
Proving the adage that anti-abortionists care about life all the way from conception to . . . birth is passage of a caricature of a law by Arkansas to erect a monument to unborn fetuses on its state Capitol grounds. Let's remember that Arkansas … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is running a full-page ad in both the Tallahassee Democrat and the Miami Herald this Sunday with a surprising headline: “Yes, Governor DeSantis — You’re Right.” Concurs the national state/church watchdog: “Our schools are for education, not indoctrination.” But there … More »
The Minneapolis Public Schools district has taken action to stop violating the constitutional rights of staff members after being contacted by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The state/church watchdog was informed by a concerned district employee that the district’s Education Department had been holding quarterly … More »
Watch the preview hereWatch the preview here. Longtime FFRF member and veteran actor Madison Arnold reflects on his near-lifelong atheism and his 50-year acting career on this week’s episode of “Freethought Matters,” FFRF’s weekly TV show. Arnold, who’s been a member of the Freedom From Religion … More »
Photo: Will Larkins - FFRF's Catherine Fahringer Student Activist awardee The Freedom From Religion Foundation is dismayed to see that a number of state legislators have introduced legislation that mirrors Florida’s notorious — and religiously motivated — 2022 “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Now, a year … More »
How can judges be allowed to practice medicine without a license? That’s exactly what appears to be happening in Amarillo, Texas, where a Trump-appointed federal judge seems prepared to ban a drug that helps perform medication abortion. Back in 2019, when Matthew Kacsmaryk was nominated … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is renewing its demand that the Federal Emergency Management Agency rescind a proposed $1 million-plus handout for a Kentucky church/tornado shelter. In 2021, a concerned city resident and taxpayer in Versailles, Ky., had alerted FFRF about an official decision to … More »
As Joe Kennedy announces his return to coaching at Bremerton High School, FFRF is warning that the Supreme Court’s Kennedy v. Bremerton decision doesn’t mean he can go back to imposing religion on students. In a statement on March 8, the First Liberty Institute announced … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has signaled its backing of new rules for handling of government services by faith-based providers — while suggesting how they can be further improved. “These proposed rules largely undo the damage of the current regulations, which are hostile to true … More »
The current government in Israel, quite certainly the most theocratic in the country’s history, has launched a full-out onslaught on all things secular. More than half of the seats in the ruling coalition belong to far-right parties that are driving the very unsecular official agenda. … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Laurens County Council to remove a Ten Commandments display from its courthouse. A concerned resident reported to the national state/church watchdog that the county courthouse has a Ten Commandments plaque on display in the hallway next to … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is dismayed that 20 state attorneys general have tried to pressure major pharmacies not to mail mifepristone to patients — and that, worse still, Walgreens has caved in. Mifepristone is the first pill in a two-drug medication abortion regimen. Medicinal abortions … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation announces its 2023 essay competitions for freethinking students — offering more than $45,000 in total scholarships. Each of these four contests has 10 top prizes: First place — $3,500; second place — $3,000; third place — $2,500; fourth place — … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has successfully persuaded Lawton, Okla., to remove several disrespectful religious displays from city property. The state/church watchdog was notified of the unconstitutional displays by a local atheist veteran. A sign on the information desk of City Hall read “ONE DIED … More »
Watch the teaser hereWatch the teaser here. The guest on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s “Freethought Matters” TV show this Sunday warns that Pentecostalism is becoming the ascendant form of Christianity worldwide. Elle Hardy, who joined the show from London, is an Australian-born writer whose new … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the immediate end to the practice of an opening religious invocation at meetings of the Ben Hill County Board of Education. The national state/church watchdog has received a complaint from a community member reporting that the board has … More »
A Christian Right outfit is displaying illogical reasoning in a controversy involving University of Colorado coach Deion Sanders. The Freedom From Religion Foundation wrote the University of Colorado on Jan. 24 raising serious concerns about its new football coach engaging in prayer with staff members … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has testified on important issues before two statehouses this week: It opposed the suspension of Wisconsin’s student vaccination policy, and backed a bill to end an unconstitutional Maryland provision barring atheists from holding offices or trusts. The nontheist organization provided … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is among a bevy of plaintiffs asking a federal court for summary judgment to remove a Ten Commandments monument displayed on the Arkansas Capitol grounds. When the Arkansas General Assembly passed Act 1231 of 2015, it created a cascading legal … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has joined hundreds of rights advocates in an urgent appeal to U.N. officials to hold the United States accountable for its wrecking of abortion rights. It has been over eight months since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. … More »
On the eighth anniversary of his assassination, the Freedom From Religion Foundation appreciates that the State Department is still determined that the killers of Bangladeshi-American freethinker Avijit Roy be brought to justice. “The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, through its Rewards for Justice … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s irreverent ad featuring Ron (“unabashed atheist, not afraid of burning in hell”) Reagan will run on every “CBS Sunday Morning” episode in March, beginning this weekend. The progressive son of President Ronald and Nancy Reagan invites viewers in the 30-second … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is celebrating the Biden administration’s decision to repeal a Trump administration-era rule that allowed federal contractors to discriminate in the name of religion. The Trump rule, proposed in 2019 and enacted in January of 2021, applied a broad interpretation of … More »
A leading investigative reporter skewers the quasi-official National Prayer Breakfast on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday “Freethought Matters” TV show. Jonathan Larsen is not only an investigative reporter and managing editor with the news platform TYT, he’s also been involved in some of the … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a national state/church watchdog, has successfully prevented a Ten Commandments display from going up in a courthouse in Kanabec County, Minn. A concerned community member reported that the Kanabec County Board of Commissioners had voted last December to put on … More »