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Watch the teaser here. The Freedom From Religion Foundation interviews for its TV show this Sunday a thinker who says we have no free will — and that this is a good thing.Robert Sapolsky, a professor of biology, neurological sciences and neurosurgery at Stanford University … More »
New Hampshire members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation have returned to the state Capitol grounds with a freethinking Solstice display for the sixth year in a row. The display, set up outside the Capitol building in Concord, is FFRF’s 6-foot-tall whimsical Bill of Rights … More »
FFRF is on a winning streak working for your rights! In the space of less than a month this past fall, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has won three successful court challenges that have . . . Remedied a religious test to run for public office … More »
Update: The Satanic Temple display at the Iowa Capitol has been destroyed by a Christian zealot who has proclaimed that he carried out the deed because “I saw this blasphemous statue and was outraged. My conscience is held captive to the word of God, … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Metropolitan Chicago Chapter has put up annual Winter Solstice exhibits throughout the Chicago area to spread its freethinking message. Featured in Chicago’s Daley Center Plaza is the Bill of Rights banner, reading: “Joy to the world — The Bill of … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is delighted to be bringing a secular presence back to the Iowa Capitol. FFRF’s Bill of Rights “nativity” display has been installed in the Hawkeye State’s seat of lawmaking for the seventh year in a row. The display shows the … More »
“At this Season of the Winter Solstice, May Reason Prevail” begins the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s full-page ad running Thursday in the New York Times.Against a starry background, the ad reads:“The Freedom From Religion Foundation is working for a world in which... People are more … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is hopeful that the U.S. Supreme Court’s announcement today that it will hear an appeal over restrictions on medication abortion means the high court is poised to reverse an unfavorable lower court ruling.The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Winter Solstice sign is back in the Milwaukee County Courthouse for the 13th year in a row. FFRF and local members have provided the secular message at the courthouse alongside religious seasonal messages to ensure that secular viewpoints are accorded … More »
A global gathering defending the French model of secularism (laicite) was held in Paris over the past weekend — with the co-presidents of the Freedom From Religion Foundation in attendance.The conference, which was the first of its kind, took place Dec. 8 and 9 … More »
The tragic abortion case playing out right now in Texas reveals how the religious anti-abortion movement has perverted the term “pro-life.”What is “pro-life” about forcing a Texas woman and mother, Kate Cox, to carry a wanted pregnancy that is doomed, where the fetus is … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a leading advocate for the separation of church and state, commends U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan for his historic nomination of its Co-President Dan Barker as a Guest Chaplain in the U.S. House of Representatives. This nomination, made in a letter to … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has successfully intervened to keep religion out of assemblies in South Dakota’s Miller School District. A concerned district employee informed FFRF that a pastor opened and closed the district’s Veterans Day assembly on Nov. 9 with prayers. The assembly reportedly … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s annual Winter Solstice exhibit at the Wisconsin Capitol has now been there for more than 25 years. The secular display is back in the state/church watchdog’s hometown legislative building for a 27th time. A major addition to the exhibit in … More »
Watch the teaser here. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has on its TV show this Sunday the second part of a two-week musical treat in which Co-President Dan Barker gives an extended performance.An accomplished pianist, record producer, arranger and songwriter, Dan initially worked with Christian … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is deeply disappointed that House Speaker Mike Johnson chose to speak at a Christian nationalist meeting this past Tuesday. Johnson gave the keynote address at the National Association of Christian Lawmakers Awards Gala, which was held at the Museum of … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Lake Hamilton School District to put a stop to a controversial halftime show that condemns non-Christian viewers to damnation. Several concerned members of the district community have informed FFRF that the Lake Hamilton Power Band’s halftime and … More »
Norman Lear wasn’t just the creator of perhaps the most beloved socially conscious shows in television history — he was also in the forefront of the fightback against the religious right.The evangelicals realized what a formidable foe they had in Lear (who died on … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging Orem (Utah) Mayor David Young and its City Council to rescind the decision to adopt “In God We Trust” as the official motto. The Orem City Council recently voted unanimously to adopt the motto because it is “a … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is asking the Chino Valley (Calif.) Unified School District to ban the bible after a local district resident registered an official complaint with the district under its newly enacted policy targeting “sexually obscene materials” in its schools. A local district … More »
Students in the Goddard Unified School District in Kansas are no longer being forced to sing worship music — thanks to the Freedom From Religion Foundation. A concerned parent informed the state/church watchdog that an instructor at Challenger Intermediate School was teaching her sixth grade … More »
Idaho is at the forefront of implementing cruel anti-abortion restrictions on top of already existing abortion bans. The Christian nationalist Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is launching its latest attack on abortion rights and life-saving medical treatments in the state. It is calling on the U.S. … More »
To the Catholic prelates recently removed from their posts by Pope Francis, the Freedom From Religion Foundation says, “Don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.” Kidding! Although some Catholics who aren’t extremely conservative like Cardinal Raymond Burke and Bishop … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has sent a letter of complaint to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee for using official government communication to preach to state employees. A Tennessee resident informed the state/church watchdog that on Nov. 2, Lee sent an official email to all state … More »
Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, died today at age 93. While the Freedom From Religion Foundation did not always agree with her rulings, we recognize that she understood the First Amendment in a way the Roberts … More »
Watch the teaser here. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has on its TV show this Sunday the first part of a two-week musical delight in the form of a performance by its Co-President Dan Barker. An accomplished pianist, record producer, arranger and songwriter, Dan initially worked with Christian … More »
Dear Superintendent Walters:The Freedom From Religion Foundation will not back down in the face of your grandstanding and (mis)use of your office to undermine Oklahoma’s secular educational system and otherwise impose your personal, pernicious Christian nationalist viewpoint on Oklahoma’s citizens.You have attacked FFRF by … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting that the mayor of Puyallup stop holding weekly prayer sessions inside City Hall. A local Puyallup resident has informed the state/church watchdog that Mayor Dean Johnson hosts a prayer group in City Hall every Wednesday morning. The complainant is … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting that the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Board of Education not open meetings with prayers. At its Nov. 14 meeting, Board President Shawn Youngblood asked Yorba Linda Mayor Gene Hernandez to lead a prayer to start the meeting, a local … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s classic Ron Reagan ad is making a post-Thanksgiving comeback to “The Daily Show.” The television commercial, in which he describes himself as “unabashed atheist, not afraid of burning in hell,” will air on Comedy Central’s program on Monday, Tuesday and … More »
Watch the teaser here. The Freedom From Religion Foundation interviews for its Sunday TV show an expert pollster who in his new book excavates the roots of white Christian supremacism. Robert P. Jones is the CEO and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), a … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has successfully persuaded an Oklahoma school district to stop broadcasting daily prayers at an elementary school. A concerned district community member informed FFRF that Prague Elementary School had been hosting daily prayers during its morning announcements. The Prague Public Schools Facebook … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has brought the Calcasieu Parish School District back in line with the Constitution. A concerned parent reported that their child’s kindergarten teacher at Bell City High School in Lake Charles, La., had been leading the class in reciting the Lord’s … More »
Student plaintiff Bear Bright receiving a $5,000 FFRF student activist award in October from Madison-area drag queen Latina Envy. Student co-plaintiff Marcus Stovall receives his $5,000 FFRF student activist award from Bryanna Banx$, also a Madison-area drag performer. UPDATE: Shortly after filing a motion to … More »
Watch the teaser here. The Freedom From Religion Foundation features a person who doesn’t have a very high opinion of the U.S. Constitution on its TV show this Sunday. The ebullient, witty and humorous Elie Mystal says the Constitution was written by a bunch of rich, … More »
This week marks 30 years since President Clinton unfortunately signed into law the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). A coalition of almost 70 organizations, spanning from conservative Christian organizations such as the Alliance Defending Freedom to the more liberal ACLU, heralded its passage back then, … More »
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash The Texas State Board of Education needs to adopt textbooks that teach the truth about evolution and the human impact on climate change, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging.The board voted on Nov. 14 to withhold preliminary approval … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation succeeded in protecting children from religious indoctrination in New Augusta, Miss., after their teacher was forcing them to pray in school. A concerned district parent reported that their child’s third grade teacher at South Perry Elementary in the Perry County … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is appalled that S.C. state Rep. Thomas Beach is using state resources to send proselytizing messages to his constituents. A South Carolina constituent contacted FFRF to report that Beach sent them a “birthday card” with a message that encouraged them … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation can only say “Brilliant!” in response to an announcement that a bill will soon be introduced in Parliament to disestablish the Church of England.Liberal Democrat peer Paul Scriven, who is behind the move, calls disestablishment “long overdue.” Disestablishment is … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that an Alaska borough rescind its new policy of chaplain-delivered prayer in disregard of FFRF’s constitutionally sound advice.For the past several years, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly had allowed citizens to volunteer to deliver the opening invocation, … More »
The continuing near-daily revelations about the religiously extreme views of new House Speaker Mike Johnson should be cause for concern for any American who values our secular democracy. As one Christian nationalist exulted after the vote elevating Johnson to his current position: “No piece of … More »
A group of faith leaders, public-education advocates and public-school parents — who are among the plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed on July 31 to stop Oklahoma from sponsoring and funding the nation’s first religious public charter school — are seeking to join a similar … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is disappointed that the Supreme Court, after witnessing repeated scandals involving unreported gifts to justices and other reprehensible conduct, has belatedly adopted an ethics code that has no teeth and sets an even lower bar than the existing code … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Columbus County Board of Education (based in Whiteville, N.C.) to protect the First Amendment rights of the school district community by ending board-led prayer. A concerned local resident has reported that the board begins each meeting with … More »
Thanks to a Freedom From Religion Foundation lawsuit, the electoral system in New Jersey is becoming markedly more inclusive. FFRF filed suit a month ago on behalf of a N.J. resident against the N.J. secretary of state for forcing candidates for public office to swear a … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is taking out a Veterans Day ad with USA Today that honors those who have served, especially freethinkers. About a quarter of FFRF’s members are veterans or in the military.The ad is in a special edition of USA Today … More »
Watch the teaser here. The Freedom From Religion Foundation interviews for its TV show this Sunday a Washington Post contributor who has a new book explaining why she stopped pretending to believe. Kate Cohen is a Washington Post contributing columnist who often writes on freethought topics … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has obtained a victory for South Carolina taxpayers.FFRF filed a suit last year on behalf of four South Carolina taxpayers against state officials, including South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, challenging the state’s unconstitutional $1.5 million funding of a religious … More »
There’s been an ominous uptick in the belief of QAnon-related claims between 2021 and 2023 spanning every demographic measured, reveals a recent survey from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). This includes the religiously unaffiliated, although they still score better than any other religious … More »
Stop inviting outside adults to engage in religious observances with students, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Robertson County Schools system in Tennessee. The White House Heritage High School boys basketball coaches invited a representative of the religious organization Middle Tennessee Fellowship of … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is calling out the Tattnall County High School football coach for abusing his position to baptize players. A concerned district community member informed the state/church watchdog that Tattnall County High School football coach Isaac Ferrell has been using his position … More »
Watch the teaser here. Chicago, WPWR-CW (Ch. 50), Sundays at 9 a.m. Denver, KWGN-CW (Ch. 2), Sundays at 7 a.m. Houston, KIAH-CW (Ch. 39), Sundays at 11 a.m. Los Angeles, KCOP-MY (Ch. 13), Sundays at 8:30 a.m. Madison, Wis., WISC-TV (Ch. 3), Sundays at 11 p.m. Minneapolis, WFTC-29, Sundays at … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the city of Roxboro to end the discriminatory practice of opening its City Council meetings with councilor-led prayers. A concerned Roxboro resident has reported that the City Council regularly opens its meetings with Christian prayers led by members … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is requesting that the Kershaw County School District no longer allow a local church to preach before school football games. A concerned district community member has informed the state/church watchdog that the district has been imposing prayer on students, parents … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging a North Carolina school board to repeal a new policy permitting unconstitutional official prayer at the start of its meetings. At its Oct. 3 meeting, the New Hanover County Board of Education held a second reading of a … More »
Ron Reagan’s commercial on behalf of the Freedom From Religion Foundation will return to the live version of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” this week. The ad, in which Reagan famously notes he’s an “unabashed atheist, not afraid of burning in hell,” will air … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s TV show this Sunday features two guests who represent the growing numbers of nonreligious elected officials around the country. The show first interviews Minnesota state Rep. Mike Freiberg, who co-founded the state’s new Secular Government Caucus working to resist Christian nationalism … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is proud to announce the 10 top winners and eight honorable mentions in the 2023 Cornelius Vander Broek Grad/“Older” Student Essay Competition. FFRF has paid out a total of $18,050 in award money for this contest. Students were asked to … More »
A new episode of “We Dissent” examines a variety of religious intrusions into public schools — and explains why you should be aware of such developments. On episode 23, “We Dissent” hosts FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert, FFRF Attorney Liz Cavell and American Atheists Legal … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has secured a constitutional win for families in a West Virginia school district whose students were subjected to a religious revival. Four families in Huntington, W.Va., have settled their lawsuit against the Cabell County Board of Education after it agreed … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that the Menomonee Falls School Board in its home state of Wisconsin ban the bible after the school district’s recent book-banning spree. The district recently banned 33 books on the basis of their “sexually explicit content” or “profanity.” … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has taken issue with the George County School District in Lucedale, Miss., after receiving a report of multiple First Amendment violations. The state/church watchdog has been informed that last spring’s George County High School graduation ceremony included both a preplanned … More »
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Education Law Center – the organizations litigating a lawsuit to stop Oklahoma from sponsoring and funding the nation’s first religious public charter school – issued the … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday TV show guest has made visible an extremely shameful aspect of organized religion: widespread child abuse. Award-winning journalist and author Christine Kenneally has a Ph.D. in linguistics from Cambridge University. She’s written for The New Yorker, The New York … More »
Photo by Suhyeon Choi on Unsplash The Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed an appeals court amicus brief against a district judge’s order compelling Southwest Airlines attorneys to attend “religious liberty training” by a controversial Christian advocacy organization.A flight attendant sued Southwest with the claim … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has successfully persuaded the Jackson County School District to reprimand a teacher and update staff training after a middle school teacher placed “prayer cards” under students’ desks. A concerned district community member informed the state/church watchdog that a teacher at … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation proudly announces a pioneering professorship in secular studies at a home state university — only the third such professorship in the nation.The Brian F. Bolton and Anne Nicol Gaylor Endowed Professorship in Secular Studies of $500,000 is being set … More »
With the backing of donors, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has collaborated with the Secular Student Alliance to select, announce and distribute several worthy 2023 student scholarships. This year’s scholarships and winners are listed below (as per Secular Student Alliance policy to help protect identities, … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s guest on its Sunday TV show has a lot of insights to offer about the evangelical movement — he grew up in it. Jon Ward is the chief national correspondent at Yahoo! News. He’s covered American politics and culture for two decades, … More »
A full-page ad by the Freedom From Religion Foundation warning of latter-day witch hunts will run in the main section of USA Today tomorrow, Oct. 12, which marks the anniversary of the cessation of the notorious Salem Witch Trials. The date has long been proclaimed … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is proud to announce the 11 winners and six honorable mentions of the 2023 Kenneth L. Proulx Memorial Essay Contest for Ongoing College Students. FFRF has paid out a total of $17,400 in award money to this year’s college … More »
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Freedom From Religion Foundation, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, American Civil Liberties Union, and the Education Law Center – the organizations litigating the lawsuit to stop Oklahoma from sponsoring and funding the nation’s first religious public charter school … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s 46th annual national convention is taking place in its hometown this coming weekend – and it promises to be a scintillating event. The gathering will take place Friday, Oct. 13, and Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Monona Terrace Convention Center … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has placed messages warning “Resist Christian nationalism” on two billboards in its hometown in time for its 46th annual national convention taking place in Madison Oct. 13–14. The billboards are strategically placed to greet out-of-town attendees as they commute between … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has convinced the Symmes Valley Local School District to no longer broadcast prayers over the loudspeaker at future football games. A concerned district parent reported that a district football scrimmage in August included an adult-led Christian prayer prior to the … More »
Iran remains a living warning of the dangers that religion-run governments pose to women’s rights.Jailed Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi has won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work promoting women’s rights and human rights. The news this week that yet another young Iranian woman … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s guest this Sunday on its TV show has expertly tracked the decline of religion around the world.Isabella Kasselstrand is assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Her publications and her studies explore nonreligion and … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s iconic ad featuring Ron Reagan that highlights FFRF’s work and his own “unabashed atheism” is back on MSNBC next week. The commercial inviting viewers to join FFRF will return to the “The Rachel Maddow Show” over the next three Mondays. … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is pleased to report that the Vigo County School Corporation has removed Christian displays from a classroom after a communiqué from the national state/church watchdog. A concerned district parent informed FFRF that an English teacher at Honey Creek Middle School, … More »
As we observe Banned Books Week Oct. 1–7, book bans are on an alarming and unprecedented rise. Secular Americans must spread awareness and fight back against such bans and censorship. The Freedom From Religion Foundation is deeply familiar with the haunting history of censorship: from … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Levy County School District, based in Bronson, Fla., to end coach-led prayers. FFRF has been informed that Robby Pruitt, Williston High School’s football coach, and his staff have been using their positions to push personal religious beliefs … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a N.J. resident against the secretary of state for forcing public office candidates to swear a mandatory religious oath. You can read the document here.James Tosone, the plaintiff, has run for public … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday TV show guest has made it his lifelong goal to have the voices and opinions of the “Nones” be heard in the political arena. Ron Millar is political coordinator for the Center for Freethought Equality, a nonprofit that advocates … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the 2023 William Schulz High School Essay Contest, with $19,050 in scholarship money for this year’s competition. College-bound high school seniors were asked to write a personal persuasive essay based on this prompt: … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation announces that it has awarded its 2023 First in the Family Forward Freethought scholarships to six students, totaling $25,000, thanks to FFRF benefactor Lance Bredvold. The students were selected by Black Skeptics Los Angeles (BSLA), an African American humanist-atheist organization. … More »
Get rid of your official chaplain, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is telling five Florida police and fire departments. The state/church watchdog has been informed that Andy Jones acts as an official chaplain to the following governmental entities: the Oakland Police Department, the Ocoee Fire Department, … More »
The Freedom From Religion Foundation celebrates a new Gallup poll showing that the percentage of Americans identifying as “nonreligious” now exceeds those identifying as “religious.” According to this poll, 33 percent of Americans now identify as “spiritual, but not religious,” (while 2 percent identify as … More »
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 »
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 »
[UPDATE: On February 7, 2024, the district court ruled that FFRF and Steketee could not intervene directly in this new round of litigation because the court granted the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General's separate motion to intervene and therefore FFRF and Steketee's interests … 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 »