Together, our country celebrates May 2 as the National Day of Prayer, a time when many folks across faiths come together to pray. However, it’s also a vital reminder that true religious freedom means the freedom of conscience to choose one’s own beliefs—or no religious beliefs at all. For too long in Texas, religious liberty […]
Religious Freedom
The Texas Freedom Network supports the constitutional guarantee of the separation of church and state, which protects the right of all Americans to practice the faith of their choice, or none at all, free of government interference.
Unfortunately, efforts to knock down that wall are a constant in Texas. Politicians and extremists continually work to impose their views on others, especially around issues like abortion, access to contraception, and LGBTQIA+ equality. And in a distortion of the principle of religious freedom, far-right groups have supported legislative efforts to allow people to use religion as an excuse to ignore laws they might not like and even as a weapon to discriminate against others.
Resources
- Prayer in Public Schools: A Primer (2001 report)
- The Texas Faith-Based Initiative (2002 report)NDOP_Report_2005_Revised
- A Report on The National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools (2005 report)
- Reading, Writing & Religion: Teaching the Bible in Texas Public Schools (2006 report)
- Reading, Writing & Religion II (2013 report)
- Can This Class Be Saved? The ‘Hobby Lobby’ Public School Bible Curriculum (2014 report)
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Rejects Policy Hiring Unqualified Chaplains, Respects Community Outcry and Religious Freedom
The Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Board of Trustees tonight approved a policy allowing chaplains to be employed or accepted as volunteers to act as “mental health personnel and support” in the district’s public schools. […]
New Texas Laws Taking Effect Sept. 1, 2023, and What They Mean for You
Learn how the new Texas laws taking effect Sept. 1, 2023, will affect you, your friends, and your family. […]
Texas Legislature’s Passage of Chaplain Bill Violates Religious Freedom of Students and Families, Texas Freedom Network Denounces
The Texas Legislature today passed SB 763, which would allow school districts to employ chaplains and appoint them to volunteer positions. Chaplains would be compensated using funds earmarked for school safety. […]
Texas Freedom Network Celebrates Failure of Bill Requiring Display of the Ten Commandments in Public Schools
The Texas State House last night passed the midnight deadline to vote on Senate Bills, marking the death of a bill that would require the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools across the state. […]
