Oklahoma Senate Bill 364, seeking to ban corporal punishment for disabled students, faced opposition from Senator Shane Jett, who cited Proverbs 22:15 to argue against the bill’s alignment with scripture. Proponents, including Senator Dave Rader, countered that the bill ensures appropriate discipline for students with special needs, while prohibiting corporal punishment. Despite this opposition, the bill passed the Senate and now proceeds to the House. Currently, Oklahoma permits corporal punishment in schools, though a 2017 law and a 2020 Department of Education directive restricted its use on certain disabled students.
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Oklahoma Senate Bill 364, prohibiting corporal punishment of disabled students, passed 31-16 despite staunch opposition from Sen. Shane Jett. Jett, citing biblical justification for corporal punishment, engaged in a religious debate with the bill’s sponsor, Sen. David Rader, arguing the bill was unconstitutional and socialist. The bill’s passage marks a victory for disability rights advocates and concludes a recurring legislative battle. Jett’s opposition reflects his broader history of controversial stances, including support for placing Bibles in classrooms and deregulation of donkey milk production.
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The 850th anniversary celebration of Glasgow’s burgh status excluded Pagan and Humanist representatives due to objections from Catholic and Church of Scotland leaders. Archbishop William Nolan and Rev Jan Mathieson threatened to withdraw unless the Pagan and Humanist speakers were removed. This exclusion sparked concern from Interfaith Glasgow and the Scottish Pagan Federation, highlighting a lack of inclusivity in the event held at Glasgow Cathedral. The Humanist Society of Scotland criticized the decision, pointing to past instances where humanists participated in high-profile religious events. Consequently, the incident has raised questions about interfaith dialogue and the appropriateness of holding such events in religious spaces.
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A Maryland federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration, preventing immigration enforcement actions at specific Quaker, Cooperative Baptist, and Sikh houses of worship. This ruling, which stems from a lawsuit challenging the reversal of a Biden-era memo protecting these locations, found that the Trump administration’s policy likely violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the First Amendment. The court determined the policy’s chilling effect on attendance, impacting both legal and undocumented immigrants, substantially burdens the free exercise of religion. The injunction reinstates the 2021 memo’s protections for these specific religious communities, but does not create a nationwide ban on immigration enforcement at places of worship.
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A bill mandating the display and teaching of the Ten Commandments in South Dakota public schools failed to pass the state House. Opponents argued the bill was unconstitutional, citing potential legal challenges and noting out-of-state support from organizations like WallBuilders. While supporters claimed the Commandments are foundational to American law and culture, the bill’s defeat followed a debate highlighting concerns over government endorsement of religion. Even an amendment reducing the number of required displays did not garner enough support.
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Over two dozen Christian and Jewish organizations, representing millions of Americans, filed a federal lawsuit challenging a Trump administration policy expanding immigration agents’ authority to conduct arrests in houses of worship. The lawsuit argues this policy violates religious freedom by creating fear, reducing attendance, and hindering ministries to immigrants, regardless of legal status. The plaintiffs contend the policy’s chilling effect on religious practice is unconstitutional, citing the administration’s disregard for houses of worship as traditionally protected spaces. The Department of Justice, in response to a similar lawsuit, argued the claims are based on speculation, but the new suit’s wide-ranging plaintiff base significantly increases pressure on the administration.
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Trump’s announcement of a task force to “eradicate anti-Christian bias” has sparked a firestorm of debate and controversy. The very notion of such a task force raises immediate concerns about the separation of church and state, a cornerstone of American democracy. Many see this as a blatant attempt to privilege one religious group over others, potentially violating the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom.
The proposed task force’s mission seems inherently problematic. Defining and measuring “anti-Christian bias” is incredibly challenging, if not impossible. What constitutes bias? Is it simply criticism of Christian doctrine or actions by individuals identifying as Christian? Is it the expression of different religious beliefs?… Continue reading
President Trump’s recent rescission of the “sensitive locations” restriction allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to conduct raids in previously protected areas, including religious institutions. This action, which reverses a policy in place since the 1990s, is being challenged in court by Quaker groups represented by Democracy Forward. The groups argue the policy violates constitutional rights to freedom of worship and association by creating fear and chilling participation in religious services. The chilling effect extends beyond sanctuary programs, as ICE could now enter any religious space at will.
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Following the arrest of Wilson Velásquez, an asylum seeker, at a Georgia church, a coalition of Quaker meetings sued the Department of Homeland Security. The lawsuit challenges the Trump administration’s reversal of a policy protecting houses of worship from immigration raids, arguing it violates the First Amendment and acts arbitrarily. The arrest, part of increased ICE enforcement, targeted Velásquez despite his having a work permit and regularly checking in with authorities. Plaintiffs contend the new policy creates fear and disrupts religious practices within immigrant-serving congregations.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood