Mike, Author at Secular Coalition for America

Austin school district’s sex ed lessons ready for public preview

Parents soon will get their first glimpses at drafts of the Austin school district’s revised sex education lessons, which for the first time will introduce topics such as sexual orientation, gender identity and sexually transmitted diseases in elementary school. For months, the district has been revamping its Human Sexuality and Responsibility curriculum, with plans to […]

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Jun 13 2019

Lawmakers Push for More Security at Houses of Worship

News

Local, state and federal lawmakers are pushing for funding to protect houses of worship following a series of deadly shootings, signaling that the days of the church with its doors propped open at all hours may be over. Sarah Levin, director of governmental affairs for the Secular Coalition for America, said grants for security at

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Jun 8 2019

Franklin Graham’s Bridgeport event draws thousands of believers — and some protesters

News

The penultimate stop of evangelist Rev. Franklin Graham’s “Decision America” Tour rolled through Seaside Park on Tuesday night, and though police prepared for trouble, the event went off without any major flashpoints. A handful of protesters held signs at the park’s entrance to greet the crowd that flocked there, which a spokesperson for Graham estimated

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May 31 2019

A conservative Christian group is pushing Bible classes in public schools nationwide — and it’s working

News

Todd Steenbergen leads worship services in church sometimes, but today he was preaching in a different venue: the public-school classroom where he teaches. “A lot of people will look at the Beatitudes and glean some wisdom from them,” he told the roomful of students, pointing toward the famous blessings he had posted on the board,

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May 28 2019

Rapid City students look to expand ‘In God We Trust’ requirement

News

As Rapid City, South Dakota School Board members prepared to look at early budget numbers on Monday night, they were hit with a surprise. Members of the ‘Working to Initiate Social Equality Club’ (WISE) at Stevens High School came before the school board with an idea. They take issue with a new law requiring the

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May 27 2019

Waldman: Religious Freedom Is America’s Greatest Export—and It’s Under Attack

News

Author Stephen Waldman profiled his book, Sacred Liberty: America’s Long, Bloody and Ongoing Struggle for Religious Freedom, in Newsweek, writing: “Most of our modern fights over religious freedom are minor skirmishes compared with the battles that were fought earlier. We should appreciate our unusual achievement and what our ancestors had to sacrifice. Let’s not squander

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May 27 2019

Ressner: ‘In God We Trust’ should have no place in our schools

News

Rock Hill, Missouri resident Eric Ressner responded to coverage of a bill that could make ‘In God We Trust’ be required reading in Missouri schools, writing, “It is not just the national motto. It is an explicit endorsement of monotheistic religion. Count me as a no.” Read his full letter at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

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May 26 2019

Maine House passes conversion therapy ban bill

News

The House passed the bill recently by a vote of 91-46. It would ban most licensed medical professionals from performing all forms of conversion therapy and only applies to minors. Supporters say this is needed to protect minors from the practice. See the full story at CBS WABI 5.

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May 25 2019

CA is overhauling sex education guidance for schools — and religious conservatives don’t like it

News

California’s Board of Education is revamping the guidance it gives for teaching sex education from kindergarten through high school in public schools. Even though the guidance is not mandatory, religious conservatives fought it all the way and said the subject should be taught at home. Board members on Wednesday considered objections to explicit material that

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May 25 2019

Wins, losses and culture wars in the Georgia General Assembly

News

The General Assembly session came to a close on April 2 with a dramatic debate about the passage of the “heartbeat bill,” which would ban abortions in cases where a fetal heartbeat can be detected. The Reporter asked local legislators about their wins and losses this session, and the culture-war climate of the legislature in

Wins, losses and culture wars in the Georgia General Assembly Read More »

May 25 2019

Author name: Mike

Austin school district’s sex ed lessons ready for public preview

Lawmakers Push for More Security at Houses of Worship

Franklin Graham’s Bridgeport event draws thousands of believers — and some protesters

A conservative Christian group is pushing Bible classes in public schools nationwide — and it’s working

Rapid City students look to expand ‘In God We Trust’ requirement

Waldman: Religious Freedom Is America’s Greatest Export—and It’s Under Attack

Ressner: ‘In God We Trust’ should have no place in our schools

Maine House passes conversion therapy ban bill

CA is overhauling sex education guidance for schools — and religious conservatives don’t like it

Wins, losses and culture wars in the Georgia General Assembly

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