Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti called a Nashville public school’s accommodation of Muslim students during Ramadan &#8220;blatantly unconstitutional,&#8221; saying the school crossed the line from allowing religious exercise to actively promoting it.
In a Tuesday <a href="https://tennesseestar.com/justice/tennessee-ag-skrmetti-weighs-legal-implications-of-muslim-prayer-accommodations-in-nashville-public-school/khousler/2026/04/15/">interview</a> with the Tennessee Star, Skrmetti responded to reports that a Metro Nashville Public Schools employee set up a dedicated Islamic prayer room at John Overton High School and encouraged Muslim students to skip class to use it.
“Free exercise says the government can’t stop you from practicing your religion,” Skrmetti explained. “The establishment clause, as interpreted, and as we hear about every time the legislature tries to do anything these days, says that the state can’t … participate in promoting particular religious viewpoints.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨BREAKING &#8211; I asked <a href="https://twitter.com/AGTennessee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGTennessee</a> Skrmetti today if the MNPS decision to allow Muslim prayers during school hours in a dedicated room led by an MNPS employee at Overton High School coerces non-Muslim students and violates the Religious Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. <a href="https://t.co/LhaaXAwEgL">pic.twitter.com/LhaaXAwEgL</a>
— Michael Patrick Leahy (@michaelpleahy) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelpleahy/status/2044187616606859387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
John Overton High School, according to a <a href="https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/04/07/ramadan-muslim-students-overton-high-school/">report</a> from the Nashville Banner, permitted over 80 students to skip class daily during Ramadan prayer sessions, in addition to separate “food-free” classrooms for fasting students and the aforementioned dedicated prayer rooms. Outside of the month of Ramadan, students are reportedly permitted to leave school grounds once a month to pray.
“So if the school is dedicating resources to something, that’s a very different situation than if the students are self-organizing,” Skrmetti added. “I look at it as an attempt to propagandize and proselytize [non-Muslim] students. That’s my view.”
In a similar vein, the U.S. Department of Education guidance released in February <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-issues-guidance-prayer-and-religious-expression-public-schools">states</a> that “public schools may not sponsor prayer nor coerce or pressure students to pray.”
“School officials should allow members of the public school community to act and speak according to their faith, as long as&#8230; The school itself does not engage in religious activities or speech as an institution,” the guidance continues.
The Tennessee attorney general teased further state action on the issue, concluding: “I expect that we’ll be hearing more about it one way or another.”
The controversy comes as Tennessee lawmakers grapple with the role of religion in public schools more broadly. State House Bill 1491, which would have required public schools to set aside a period for prayer and Bible reading, was temporarily <a href="https://www.tnfirefly.com/news/protecting-religious-liberty-and-expression-in-public-schools-act-tabled-for-summer-study?ref=pamphleteer.co">tabled</a> in a 12-7 committee vote last week in favor of further research on the issue over the summer.
Proponents of the bill argue that the bill aligns with the Supreme Court&#8217;s Kennedy v. Bremerton decision in 2022, which held that the First Amendment protects individuals engaging in religious activities from government reprisal.

Cultural Center In Chicago Aids Rohingya Refugees Resettling In The U.S.

School Helped Organize Muslim Prayer And Now It’s Putting The First Amendment To The Test

Islam

Public Schools

Religious Freedom

Tennessee

The Supreme Court of Finland held that Päivi Räsänen, a longtime member of the Finnish Parliament, was guilty of the “hate crime” of “insulting” a group based on sexual orientation for publishing a church pamphlet over twenty years ago. A Lutheran bishop, Juhana Pohjola, was similarly convicted for publishing the pamphlet for the church.
Chillingly, Räsänen and Pohjola are now criminals for peacefully expressing their views in the public square.
The details that led up to this outrageous conviction are truly Orwellian.
Räsänen published her pamphlet, “Male and Female He Created Them,” in 2004, when Finland, like much of the world, was debating same-sex marriage. The pamphlet was meant to help others navigate those debates.
Years later, Finland amended its “War Crimes” statute, expanding the scope of criminal “hate speech” laws to include many new protected categories, resulting in this verdict where the court ruled it is illegal to publish “insulting” content.
Räsänen is a member of the Finnish Lutheran Church. In 2019, her church announced it would join the Helsinki Pride Parade. Räsänen gained international attention with a now-famous X post in which she criticized her church’s involvement in the pride parade and shared an image of a Bible verse.
<div id="attachment_652929" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-652929" class="size-large wp-image-652929" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-14-at-7.01.23-AM-1024x573.png" alt="Päivi Räsänen" width="1024" height="573" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-14-at-7.01.23-AM-1024x573.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-14-at-7.01.23-AM-300x168.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-14-at-7.01.23-AM-768x430.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-14-at-7.01.23-AM-1536x859.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-14-at-7.01.23-AM.png 1573w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Alliance Defending Freedom International</div>
A progressive prosecutor in Helsinki could not stand such an “affront” and commenced what would become an almost seven-year legal battle. She immediately launched and announced an investigation into Räsänen for criminal “hate speech.” During that investigation, she seemingly reviewed every statement that Räsänen had made on the subject of sexuality and dredged up the 15-year-old 20-page pamphlet, along with a single radio interview. She later charged Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola with hate crimes based on the Bible tweet, the pamphlet, and the interview.
Räsänen defended herself publicly by sharing links to the allegedly “offensive” material so people could see for themselves what, exactly, she was on trial for.
A Finnish lower court unanimously acquitted Räsänen and Pohjola on all counts, finding that posting Bible verses was not a crime. The case should have ended there. In the United States, if the prosecution loses, the case is closed. But in Finland, the prosecutors can keep appealing even a clear loss, which they did. The Court of Appeals again fully and unanimously acquitted Räsänen and Pohjola.
The prosecutors took one more shot, appealing to the Supreme Court. And now, in a split 3-2 decision, the Supreme Court has found Räsänen and Pohjola guilty of “insult” under the “War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity” section of Finland’s criminal code.
The logic of the decision is mind-bending. The Court, thankfully, upheld the acquittal for the Bible tweet, finding it did not meet the threshold for incitement. That’s good. But how the Court found Räsänen guilty for publishing the pamphlet is straight out of George Orwell&#8217;s 1984.
The Court argued that simply because the prosecution started an investigation in 2019 — about a tweet that the Court itself says is allowed — Räsänen should have known that her early-2000s pamphlet might now be seen as “insulting&#8221; under a law enacted years later. The Court concluded that Räsänen should have removed the allegedly insulting statements before reposting a link to them — even before any charges were filed.
So it was the very fact that she was being publicly investigated and sought to defend herself that made her a criminal and her statements ipso facto illegal.
This is not justice. This is Year Zero thinking, where an official accusation can turn someone into a thought-criminal, and any defense is used against them. It is the upside-down world.
The Court, doubling down on Orwellian reasoning, has demanded that Räsänen and Pohjola remove and “destroy” the “offending” statements from the pamphlet. This is simply the mandatory erasure of history and thought.
How many books, articles, and posts available online “might be” considered “insulting” to a group? Must publishers and authors scour their online libraries and remove anything others might find offensive? Does a mere accusation of offense now mandate people pull their beliefs and statements offline? The Court’s twisted logic points toward all these dystopian outcomes.
Päivi Räsänen has shown immense Christlike grace throughout this whole ordeal, and I pray that she receives justice soon, through an appeal or otherwise.
But the decision in her case goes far beyond just one individual. How many people will refuse to speak up if there is even the hint of controversy in their views, religious or otherwise, especially if the powers-that-be clearly disfavor those views?
Is this how Europe will use mechanisms like the Digital Services Act to silence alleged “hate speech” and export censorship online and globally?
The Finnish Supreme Court’s decision against Räsänen is an outrage against her and against the most fundamental principles of free speech. It is more obvious than ever that &#8220;hate speech&#8221; laws are inherently abusive and must be repealed. This decision should be widely condemned by people worldwide who value freedom.
***
Sean Nelson is an international human rights lawyer serving as Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom with ADF International.

Germany: nationwide demonstrations against NSA spying and in solidarity with Edward Snowden

The Finnish Supreme Court’s ‘1984’ Playbook

The Finnish Supreme Court's '1984' Playbook

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

Bible

Finland

Free Speech

Social Media Censorship

Western Civilization

A Nashville charter school threatened a first-grade teacher with termination after he refused to read an LGBTQ book about same-sex marriage to his class, according to a legal advocacy group.
KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary issued a “Final Warning” to Eric Rivera, a Christian first-grade teacher, after he declined to read a book featuring a same-sex married couple and child in the language arts curriculum, despite having no previous disciplinary history, according to First Liberty Institute.
Rivera requested a religious accommodation after discovering the LGBTQ book in the curriculum, according to a demand <a href="https://firstliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Eric-Rivera-FINAL-Demand-Letter62_Redacted.pdf">letter</a> First Liberty sent to KIPP Nashville on behalf of Rivera.
&#8220;Mr. Rivera asked a colleague to read the book to his class of first-graders, while he remained in the classroom to observe — a substitution that Mr. Rivera believed would be workable and accepted,” the demand letter said.
School officials denied his request, summoned him to the principal’s office, and threatened his job, the demand letter claims.
The “Final Warning” letter accused Rivera of failing to meet the “expectation” of teaching the curriculum “with fidelity” and said that as a result of his conduct, students would “miss content aligned with the scope of the unit” — even though a substitute teacher was still teaching the curriculum to students.
“[T]he principal indicated that the belief in same-sex marriage is so fundamental to the language arts unit that Mr. Rivera could not possibly be permitted to teach any portion of the unit, and therefore had to be removed from the first grade classroom,&#8221; according to First Liberty&#8217;s letter.
The school’s letter concluded with a further threat of disciplinary action, including termination, and stated, “A copy of this unsatisfactory notice is being placed in your personnel file.”
“Requiring a teacher violate their religious beliefs in order to keep their job is blatant discrimination that violates the Civil Rights Act,” <a href="https://firstliberty.org/media/nashville-first-grade-teacher-banished-from-classroom-after-asking-accommodation-from-pro-same-sex-marriage-book/">said</a> Cliff Martin, Senior Counsel at First Liberty Institute. “Our client cares deeply about his students and simply has a religious objection to teaching certain lessons and asked for a simple religious accommodation. The school has sent the message that anyone who has a traditional view of marriage is unfit to teach first grade.”
First Liberty accused the school of potentially violating Tennessee law by failing to disclose two books listed in the &#8220;LGBTQ+ Books&#8221; category on Amazon to parents.
&#8220;Both of the books to which Mr. Rivera objected require parental notification under Tennessee law, and to our knowledge, none was given. Accordingly, based on our understanding of KIPP’s practices, KIPP should review whether it is in compliance with its obligations to parents under Tennessee and federal law,&#8221; the letter said.
First Liberty’s letter to the school on behalf of Rivera demands that KIPP remove the &#8220;Final Warning&#8221; from Rivera&#8217;s personnel file, cease religious discrimination, and commit to accommodating religious employees who object to reading materials that conflict with their faith.

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Nashville Charter School Threatened To Fire First-Grade Teacher For Refusing To Read LGBTQ Book

LGBT

Late Tuesday night, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem pledged that authorities would soon arrest those who stormed Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement&#8217;s presence in the Twin Cities.
“There will be arrests tied to that, and people will be brought to justice for how they violated the law in that situation,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kristi-noem-promises-arrests-in-the-next-several-hours-over-church-stormed-by-anti-ice-activists?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Kristi+Noem+Promises+Arrests+%E2%80%98In+The+Next+Several+Hours%E2%80%99+Over+Church+Stormed+By+Anti-ICE+Activists">Noem said</a>.
To do so, the Trump administration could use a law long weaponized against pro-life protesters to prosecute those who disrupted the church service, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon.
The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, made it a federal crime for pro-life protesters to block the entrances of abortion facilities. Though the law was also meant to protect crisis pregnancy centers and churches, data obtained by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) <a href="https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-reintroduces-legislation-repeal-face-act">shows</a> that 97% of FACE Act prosecutions through 2024 targeted pro-life individuals. 
While conservatives have long warned that the law has been weaponized against pro-lifers, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-ice-activists-storm-minnesota-church-with-don-lemon-doj-launches-probe?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Anti-ICE+Activists+Storm+Minnesota+Church+With+Don+Lemon%3B+DOJ+Launches+Probe">stunt</a> by leftist agitators at the Cities Church in St. Paul creates an opportunity for President Donald Trump’s Justice Department to flip the historical application of FACE on its head. 
The FACE Act penalizes those who “by force or threat of force or by physical obstruction, intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes with or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with any person lawfully exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.”
That would appear to apply to the storming of Cities Church by a group of activists organized by the Racial Justice Network and Black Lives Matter Twin Cities. The protesters yelled and chanted slogans at worshipers, causing the service to end early. Lemon filmed the demonstration under the guise of an independent journalist and badgered the pastor of the church with questions while the disruption was taking place. 
Ryan Tucker, the director of the Center for Christian Ministries at Alliance Defending Freedom, told The Daily Wire that the religious component of the FACE Act has rarely been used. He noted that historically, local and state law enforcement have stepped in to address FACE Act violations, but no such help appears to be forthcoming in Minnesota. 
“Here in Minnesota, at least the state attorney general has come out and said that he&#8217;s not going to do anything to assist or to pursue any violations of state law,” Tucker said. “What&#8217;s really disheartening here is that you&#8217;ve got the lead lawyer of the state of Minnesota, Keith Ellison, saying that he&#8217;s not going to do anything to prosecute these individuals under those local laws, and in fact, has attempted to validate their actions, completely forgetting that the FACE Act even exists.”
Tucker added that it was very rare for activists to disrupt church services.
“The idea that one could go into a church, disrupt it, threaten the parishioners, and somehow get away with it, which is just absolutely unheard of,” he said. “Churches certainly have the right to worship freely without fear that protesters are going to invade their space and traumatize the families that are present, but that&#8217;s exactly what happened this past weekend.”
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/don-lemon-could-face-criminal-conspiracy-charges-over-involvement-in-minnesota-church-protest?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Don+Lemon+Could+Face+‘Criminal+Conspiracy’+Charges+Over+Involvement+In+Minnesota+Church+Protest">suggested</a> on Monday that the Justice Department would bring FACE Act-related charges against the protesters. 
“I see various crimes that have occurred,” she told podcaster Benny Johnson. “Exactly what they are I’m not going to flag, but the FACE Act has been mentioned as one of the predicates there. In other cases, the Biden DOJ used the Klan Act conspiracy charges tacked onto the FACE Act in the case of protests outside abortion clinics to bring much longer sentences.”
Dhillon was referring to how President Joe Biden’s Justice Department ramped up FACE Act prosecutions, pairing it with the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act to garner lengthy prison sentences for peaceful pro-life advocates who demonstrated at abortion facilities. 
Biden’s Justice Department successfully prosecuted these cases across the country — from Michigan to Tennessee and Washington, D.C. — and got lengthy prison sentences for multiple defendants. 
 Lauren Handy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-life-activist-sentenced-to-over-four-years-in-prison-over-protest-at-d-c-abortion-facility">was sentenced</a> to 57 months in prison for her role in an October 20 sit-in at the notorious D.C.-based Washington Surgi-Clinic late-term abortion facility.
In another case, 64-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pardoned-pro-life-activist-says-hes-running-on-adrenaline-and-the-holy-ghost-after-trump-pardon">Calvin Zastrow</a> and 75-year-old Chet Gallagher were sentenced to prison after they participated in a protest at an abortion facility in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, that involved them praying, singing, and speaking to women arriving at the facility. They were convicted under the FACE Act and the KKK Act for conspiracy against rights, a charge that could come with over 10 years of prison time. 
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/they-should-not-have-been-prosecuted-trump-pardons-23-pro-lifers-targeted-by-biden-doj?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan+and+Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98They+Should+Not+Have+Been+Prosecuted%E2%80%99%3A+Trump+Pardons+23+Pro-Lifers+Targeted+By+Biden+DOJ">pardoned</a> the two dozen peaceful pro-life protesters during his first week in office. 
Dhillon suggested that Lemon might be subject to the KKK Act conspiracy against rights application if it could be proved that he had knowledge of the protest before it took place. 
“Don Lemon himself has come out and said he knew exactly what was going to happen inside that facility,&#8221; she said. &#8220;He went into the facility, and then he began ‘committing journalism,’ as if that’s sort of a shield from being a part, an embedded part of a criminal conspiracy, it isn’t.&#8221;
As Lemon questioned a pastor during the disruption on Sunday, he asserted that the activists had a First Amendment right to stage a protest in the church. Tucker was unconvinced with this claim, noting that you can’t make a First Amendment claim while infringing on “someone&#8217;s ability to freely worship.”
Trump on Tuesday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-minnesota-church-protesters-should-be-jailed-or-thrown-out-of-the-country?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump%3A+Minnesota+Church+Protesters+Should+Be+Jailed+Or+%E2%80%98Thrown+Out+Of+The+Country%E2%80%99">called</a> for the agitators who stormed the church to be imprisoned or “thrown out of the country.” His Justice Department appears to be ready to take that action. 
“The FACE Act is just the start. Like I said, you have material support for disruptive activities, you have conspiracy to violate civil rights, you have potentially the use of other instrumentalities to commit crimes,” Dhillon said on Monday. 
The Trump administration has already used the FACE Act to go after left-wing activists who target religious services. In September, the Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-lawsuit-under-face-act-against-violent-protestors-synagogue-west">filed charges</a> under FACE against a group of protesters who targeted a Jewish synagogue in New Jersey.
Soon after taking office, Trump’s Justice Department <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-doj-rolls-back-bidens-aggressive-prosecution-of-pro-lifers?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+DOJ+Rolls+Back+Biden%E2%80%99s+Aggressive+Prosecution+Of+Pro-Lifers">issued a memo</a> stipulating that FACE Act cases would only be prosecuted in cases of violence or extreme property damage, a reversal of Biden’s policy.

Don Lemon, Nekima Levy-Armstrong

How The Law Weaponized Against Pro-Lifers Could Be Used To Prosecute Anti-ICE Agitators

Bill Clinton

Department of Justice

Don Lemon

Donald Trump

FACE Act

Harmeet Dhillon

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Keith Ellison

Minnesota

Pro-Life Movement

Most Americans want more faith in the public square and want to have more say over what their children learn in the classroom, according to a new survey of attitudes toward religious liberty released Friday.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty released its annual Religious Freedom Index, documenting a rise in support for Americans to practice their faith in public and private. The index surveyed over 1,000 Americans and asked them for their opinions on a range of topics from curriculum opt-outs to sharing faith in public.
“This year’s Index shows that Americans – and especially younger generations – increasingly share a vigorous vision of religious liberty, one that is not confined to churches and private homes but expressed openly in the public square,” Becket wrote in its report, which was first obtained by The Daily Wire.
Becket found that 73% of Americans believe that parents should be able to opt their kids out of public school curriculum. That is a ten point increase since 2021 and comes after the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-sides-with-parents-says-schools-cant-mandate-lgbt-curricula">ruled</a> last year that a group of Maryland parents should be allowed to take their kids out of classroom instruction involving LGBT and sexuality-focused materials. That case was brought by Becket on behalf of a coalition of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim parents.
The survey found that 62% of Americans supported that decision.
“When it comes to raising children, mom and dad know best. That common-sense idea commands overwhelming support, with nearly three-quarters of Americans agreeing that parents should have the final say on what their children are taught in public school. It’s a powerful reminder that in our nation, families—not government officials—are the primary educators of the next generation,” Eric Baxter, the vice president and senior counsel at Becket, told The Daily Wire.
More Americans also believe that Americans should be free to share their faith in public, including at work and school.
“[Fifty-seven percent] of Americans agree that religious freedom is inherently public, and that Americans should be free to share their faith in public spaces, such as at school, work, or on social media — a five-point rise since 2020,” the index found.
Notably, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-trump-guidance-allows-federal-employees-to-debate-religion-with-co-workers">new guidance</a> issued by the Trump administration last year made it clear that federal workers are allowed to invite their co-workers to church and share their religious beliefs with them.
The survey also found that a plurality of Americans (47%) believe that Christian counselors should be allowed to guide children away from gender-confusion, 58% say that bakers and cake artists should not be forced to create a product that violates their conscience, and 65% approved of a recent Supreme Court decision that sided with a Catholic charity that sued Wisconsin after it made it pay certain taxes that other religious organizations were exempt from.

Beautiful White Baptist Church in Crawfordville, George built in 1889

Americans Want More Faith In The Public Square, Back Parental Rights

Christianity

Education

Religion

Supreme Court

Do you agree with the Apostle Paul?
That was the question police asked Finnish parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen repeatedly over the course of 13 hours of interrogation over a social media post she made featuring a Bible verse. 
Six years ago, Räsänen found herself in a small room being questioned after she <a href="https://x.com/PaiviRasanen/status/1140693636176384011">shared</a> a Bible verse from the book of Romans detailing the Christian understanding of sexuality. After she shared the verse, she was charged with hate speech and dragged to the police station for numerous rounds of questions about her beliefs. 
“It was a very, very absurd and surreal experience,” Räsänen said on Thursday when asked by The Daily Wire to describe her experience. “I was sitting in a small room in a police station. I had the Bible on the table and the police were asking me very theological questions.”
She said that she was asked about the meaning of Romans and about the concepts of sin and shame in the Bible. Räsänen said she was brought in for questioning three times for a total of 13 hours, leading to a joke that she was “going to have a Bible study” at the police station, she said. 
Räsänen said her experience reminded her of stories she heard about Christians being persecuted by the Soviet Union. 
“Those stories that I had heard from these communist countries,” she said. “So I was so shocked that something like that could happen in Finland, in a country that has long roots in Christianity and rule of law and freedom of speech and faith.”
After each interrogation, she was given two weeks to delete her social media post and apologize. She refused each time. 
“I said that I do not apologize… because it&#8217;s not my opinion, it is what the Word of God says,” Räsänen said. 
She is a member of the Lutheran Church and was previously Finland’s Ministry of the Interior, meaning she once oversaw the police who interrogated her. Her case is now before Finland’s top court and comes after she was unanimously acquitted in 2022 and 2023 by lower courts. She faces two criminal charges for “agitation against a minority group.”
Räsänen’s case was heard on Thursday by the Finnish Supreme Court. She was represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom International and criminal defense lawyer Matti Sankamo. 
<div id="attachment_993749" style="width: 1674px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-993749" class="size-full wp-image-993749" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-30-at-1.20.01-PM.png" alt="" width="1664" height="1106" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-30-at-1.20.01-PM.png 1664w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-30-at-1.20.01-PM-300x199.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-30-at-1.20.01-PM-867x576.png 867w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-30-at-1.20.01-PM-768x510.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-30-at-1.20.01-PM-1536x1021.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1664px) 100vw, 1664px" />Räsänen outside the Supreme Court/ Alliance Defending Freedom International.</div>
In a press call after Thursday’s hearing, Sankamo said that it appeared that prosecutors had changed the primary focus of their case against Räsänen.
Also on trial is Bishop Juhana Pohjola, a Lutheran church leader who published a pamphlet in 2004 written by Räsänen defending the Christian view of marriage as between one man and one woman. Prosecutors have called for Pohjola to pull the pamphlet from circulation. 
“The Christian message of marriage and sexuality has been taught for two millennia, and it should never be considered a crime to speak what Christians have always believed,” he said ahead of the hearing. 
Both Pohjola and Räsänen face a hefty fine if they lose their case. The charges they face could come with prison time, though prosecutors have not requested that punishment. 
Paul Coleman, the executive director of Alliance Defending Freedom International, said that losing the case could make countless other Christian materials considered criminal. 
“We&#8217;ve not yet seen a case reach the highest court of a land where actual theological concepts like sin are considered hate speech, or where the words of the Bible are being put on trial,” he said Thursday. “And so again, if the prosecutor is successful, then that will set a new low, really, for freedom of expression in Europe and specifically for Christians.”
A verdict in the case is not expected until spring 2026, but Räsänen is hopeful that the result will be a resounding win for freedom of religion and speech. 
“The main question in this whole process is, the heart of this trial, is the question of whether teachings related to the Bible can be presented and whether it is still permissible to agree with the Bible, even when they contradict the main ideology of the society,” she said.

MixCollage-30-Oct-2025-01-20-PM-5744

The Bible On Trial: Christian Politician Goes Back To Court Over Religious Beliefs

Europe

Marriage

In the shadow of gleaming skyscrapers and a bustling democracy, a dark chapter in South Korea’s history is currently unfolding.
On September 8, 2025, just two days after meeting with Charlie Kirk at Build Up Korea — an event similar in style and purpose to Turning Point USA’s signature events here in the United States — Pastor Son Hyun-bo was arrested and imprisoned by the South Korean government.
His crime? Preaching from the pulpit, organizing prayer rallies, and daring to critique politicians in sermons that touched on moral issues like anti-discrimination laws and Biblical marriage.
This is clearly Christian persecution cloaked in the language of &#8220;election law violations.&#8221; It echoes the tyrannical playbooks of communist regimes past. And it is a stark reminder that the forces arrayed against Christianity are global, insidious, and relentless.
Pastor Son, the 63-year-old leader of Segero Church in Busan, is no radical agitator. He&#8217;s a man of unyielding faith who transformed a tiny, struggling, rural congregation of 20 members into a thriving megachurch with over 4,000 weekly attendees. Starting in 1993, he baptized around 1,000 souls annually for more than 15 years. During his military service in the 1980s under a dictatorial regime, he endured brutal beatings for insisting on Sunday worship, yet evangelized his entire Special Forces unit that he served in, earning the nickname &#8220;Special Forces Pastor.&#8221; Even amid COVID-19 lockdowns in 2021, he defied government bans, holding outdoor services to preserve the right to gather in faith.
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But Pastor Son&#8217;s boldness extended beyond the sanctuary. He organized massive &#8220;Save Korea&#8221; prayer rallies, including a 2024 event that drew over a million participants online and in person, decrying threats to religious freedom and national values. In 2025, during elections for Busan&#8217;s education superintendent and the presidency, Son’s sermons and events addressed candidates&#8217; stances on issues dear to Christians.
Prosecutors twisted these into &#8220;illegal electioneering,&#8221; citing the use of microphones, YouTube uploads, and even hymns as evidence of &#8220;disguised rallies.&#8221; The arrest warrant, issued by Judge Eom Sung-hwan on September 9, absurdly claimed a &#8220;flight risk&#8221; for a man who&#8217;s lived openly in Busan for three decades, cooperated with investigations, and left all his sermons publicly online.
This isn&#8217;t an isolated miscarriage of justice — it&#8217;s a calculated assault on religious liberty.
South Korea&#8217;s constitution guarantees freedom of religion under Article 20, and international covenants like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protect against arbitrary detention and suppression of faith. Yet here we see a pastor jailed for what amounts to moral commentary, while pro-North Korea activists have received leniency from the same judiciary.
Conservative leaders like Han Dong-hoon, Na Kyung-won, Kim Moon-soo, and Choi Jae-hyung have decried it as excessive, political retaliation, and a threat to democracy. The General Assembly of Presbyterian Churches in Korea called it a &#8220;grave situation that threatens the freedom of religion.&#8221; Pastor Son&#8217;s real offense? Criticizing leftist President Lee Jae-myung and standing firm against policies that erode Christian values.
Enter Charlie Kirk, whose tragic assassination just days after his visit to South Korea leaves his mission unfinished. On September 6 and 7, Kirk headlined the &#8220;Build Up Korea&#8221; event, rallying thousands of young Koreans to defend freedom and faith in a nation where Christianity comprises about 25% of the population. Backstage, he met Pastor Son, who had organized massive protests against a pro-trans bill and faced government raids for his activism.
Kirk promised that if Son were arrested, he&#8217;d alert President Donald Trump and mobilize America against this &#8220;weaponization&#8221; of law against Bible-believing Christians. In his speech, Kirk warned: &#8220;If you don’t focus on the second thing — making sure you can spread Jesus — then we will all be sharing the Gospel from a prison cell one day!&#8221;
Kirk&#8217;s words were prophetic. This is the communist tactic in action: ostracize Christians by painting them as threats to the state; characterize them as &#8220;others&#8221; who disrupt social harmony; terrorize them through raids, arrests, and imprisonment; and normalize that terror until dissent vanishes. We&#8217;ve seen it in Mao&#8217;s China, Stalin&#8217;s Russia, and now creeping into South Korea under a president cozying up to Beijing and Pyongyang. The Left doesn&#8217;t debate faith; it silences it, turning pulpits into crime scenes and prayers into indictments.
American Christians, this is our wakeup call. We&#8217;re in a revival moment, but revival without resolve is fleeting. We must channel Kirk&#8217;s unfinished work: amplify Pastor Son&#8217;s plight, pressure South Korea through diplomatic channels, and support organizations like the Free Press Foundation that expose such injustices. Petition your representatives to condemn this; pray for Son&#8217;s release; and demand that President Lee reverse course before South Korea slides further into authoritarianism.
Pastor Rob McCoy of Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks, and Pastor Stephen Martin of Vintage Church in Harker Heights, Texas, just returned from a visit to Segero Church, where they encouraged leaders to stand strong, speak out, and not go silently into persecution. They are seeking to carry out Charlie Kirk’s mission, which he had promised to return and complete. He would have undoubtedly done so had he not been martyred. These courageous pastors are working to draw attention to this unfinished mission of Charlie, protect Christian freedom in South Korea, and warn a slumbering church that we must not be silent.
After all, the church isn&#8217;t a bystander in history, it&#8217;s the bulwark against tyranny. As Charlie urged, put Jesus first, but fight for the freedom to do so. Pastor Son languishes in a cell for preaching truth; let&#8217;s ensure his suffering ignites a global stand. South Korea, turn back from this persecution. The world is watching, and the God of justice will not be mocked.
Daniel Hayworth is the Lead Pastor of Vintage Church Harker Heights near Fort Hood, Texas, where he lives with his wife and four children. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

South Korea Charlie Kirk

The Unfinished Fight: Charlie Kirk, A South Korean Pastor, And The Global War On Christians

Charlie Kirk

North Korea

South Korea

The issue of religious freedom has become one of the most pressing global challenges of our time. While in Western countries debates often revolve around ensuring that Muslims can freely practice their faith, in many parts of the Islamic world, Christians continue to face harsh restrictions, discrimination, and even persecution. This striking contrast raises fundamental questions about reciprocity, human dignity, and the future of coexistence between different faiths.
Few stories illustrate this brutal reality more vividly than that of Said Mansour Rezk Abdelrazek — known as Saeed Abu Mustafa, a 30-year-old man, who has <a href="https://x.com/DanBurmawy/status/1961379307487437064">been arrested</a>, endured <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@saidabumustafa?_t=ZN-8zg1GnAN5yo&amp;_r=1">torture</a>, isolation, and persecution. During his detention, he was allegedly suspended with his arms tied to a wall in a <a href="https://www.copticsolidarity.org/2025/08/21/egypts-hidden-persecution-the-cost-of-leaving-islam/">crucified position</a> for hours each day, a deliberate mockery of the very faith he embraced. He has been beaten, humiliated, and forced to undergo procedures to burn away a small Christian tattoo. They stripped him of his wife and child. Saeed now sits in a prison cell, together with <a href="https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christian-convert-charged-with-terrorism-in-egypt-after-requesting-new-identification">Islamic terrorists</a>, accused of crimes as absurd as “membership in a banned group” and “contempt of the Islamic religion.” In truth, his only crime is that, in 2018, he converted to Christianity.
In the Roman Empire, Christians were thrown to lions, crucified on wooden beams, and burned alive in public squares. Their crime was simple: they refused to worship Caesar and chose to follow Christ instead. Twenty centuries later, the forms have changed but the substance has not. What the Roman Empire once accomplished with crosses and amphitheaters, Egypt — a nation that receives billions of dollars in aid from the United States — now accomplishes with courtrooms, prisons, and a bureaucracy steeped in Sharia law.
<h3>A Journey From Curiosity To Crucifixion</h3>
Saeed’s path to Christ began with a hunger for knowledge. As a teenager, he immersed himself in comparative religion, asking the questions Islam dared not answer. By 2018, his search ended with baptism into the Russian Orthodox Church. But his conversion would prove costly. His family harassed him. His neighbors denounced him. But above all, Egypt’s National Security marked him as a threat.
Desperate, Saeed fled to Russia in 2019, where he sought asylum. For a time, he breathed free air. But when provoked by Muslims on social media, he responded and lashed out. Russia responded not with tolerance but with jail. Eleven months later, they deported him — despite a UNHCR refugee certificate that should have guaranteed his protection.
Back in Egypt, his persecutors were waiting for him. They detained him, tortured him again, and warned, “If you want to be a Christian, so be it. But you must remain silent.” Silence, however, would prove impossible for this man.
<h3>The Arrest That Sealed His Fate</h3>
In July of 2025, Saeed did the unthinkable. He attempted to exercise his constitutional right to file a lawsuit to <a href="https://www.csw.org.uk/2025/07/24/press/6584/article.htm">update his official identity card</a> to reflect his Christian faith. In Egypt, religion is stamped on every official document: your driver’s license, your job application, even membership to a sports club. It is not merely paperwork; it is a mark of identity and, for converts, a mark of danger.
That step was enough to seal his fate. On July 15, 2025, plainclothes National Security agents stormed his apartment in Cairo’s Matariya district and arrested him. Days later, he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, charged with membership in a banned group, disturbing public order and peace, and contempt of the Islamic religion.
It is difficult to overstate the absurdity of these accusations. When asked how he could be accused of joining a banned group, Saeed responded simply: “How can I be? I am Christian.”
<h3>A Legal Farce, A Human Tragedy</h3>
Saeed’s hearings were conducted over video conference. His lawyer was not allowed to see him. He could not review the charges or the investigation files. Even basic rights guaranteed by Egypt’s own constitution were stripped away.
His lawyer, Saeed Fayez, stated:
<blockquote>“I am immensely worried for Saeed’s safety, because he is locked away in Institute Number 6, where Islamic extremist terrorists are held. He is in danger. Recently, Osama — an Islamist terrorist who desecrated Christian faith — posted a video showing Saeed being beaten. This is torture.”</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Saeed’s fiancé, Sophie, is heartbroken:
<blockquote>“This should not be happening in 2025. His treatment is not human. Egyptian interpretation of terrorism is very different from the rest of the world. When Egypt says he has joined a banned group, what do they mean? Are Christians a banned group? Why cannot these people convert and enjoy their freedom like everybody else? It is a matter of freedom.”</blockquote>
<h3>The Pattern Of Persecution</h3>
Saeed’s story is part of a long line of shattered lives. He is not the first, nor will he be the last.
In 2007, Mohammed Hegazy openly demanded recognition of his conversion. For that, he was arrested, tortured. He first stated that he had abandoned Christianity to return to Islam, but once released from prison, he revealed he had remained a Christian all along, explaining that his supposed conversion had been extracted from him under torture.
Decades earlier, Maher El-Gowhary had tried the same. Judges even admitted his case was valid, but they ruled conversion a “threat to public order.” He has lived ever since as a fugitive in his own land.
More recently, the stranglehold on religious expression continues. In early 2025, Abdulbaqi Said Abdo — a Christian convert detained since 2021 for speaking about his faith and aiding fellow converts online — was released after years behind bars on blasphemy charges. His fellow detainee, Nour Gerges, was also freed, yet both men still face pending accusations. Abdo spent months in solitary confinement, suffered deteriorating health, and even declared a partial hunger strike in protest.
Others have suffered in quieter ways, their names whispered in churches and exile communities. A young woman named Naglaa had her head shaved by her brother and her Bible burned before her eyes. Amir Ibrahim, a professor, was fired and charged for daring to declare himself Christian. A teenager called Andrew has changed homes seven times in six months to escape his family’s wrath. Mirna, a mother, lost custody of her daughter the moment she embraced the Cross. Karim Abu El-Kheir, at 19, was jailed for writing on Facebook: “Christ is my salvation.”
These are not isolated incidents.
Egypt’s constitution, however, contains a fatal contradiction. Article 2 enshrines Islamic Sharia as the source of law. Article 46, on the other hand, promises freedom of belief. And whenever they collide, Sharia wins.
That is why Saeed is in prison. That is why converts live as “ghosts,” hiding in basements, carrying fake names, unable to marry, work, or claim their children. Egypt’s notion of religious freedom appears paradoxical: one may hold personal beliefs, provided they never stray from Islam.
<h3>Why The West Must Act</h3>
Every year, America sends billions of dollars in aid to Egypt. Washington calls Cairo a “partner” and a “moderate.” But what moderation is this? A nation that jails a man for following Christ is no partner in freedom.
This is not simply a matter of cultural difference — it is a matter of right and wrong. If America believes in liberty, it must advocate for the release of Saeed and others like him. It must place conditions on aid when it comes to genuine freedom of religion. It must remind Egypt that partnership with the United States comes with moral obligations.
Saeed’s crucifixion may not be on Golgotha, but it is no less real. And it demands a response. If America still believes in the dignity of the human soul, then it must raise its voice. Because the true test of freedom is not how we protect the majority — it is how we defend the lone man in a cell, whose only crime was to whisper the name of Jesus.
In the early centuries of Christianity, martyrs faced lions with hymns on their lips. Today, in Cairo, they face prison walls and torture cells. But the hymn remains the same: Christ is Lord.
* * *
Paolo Gambi is an Italian multimedia artist, poet, and contributor to “Il Giornale,” Italy’s primary conservative newspaper. He is the founder of Poetry Renaissance, one of the main networks of poetry in Italy, present in various countries. He has published more than thirty books.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-13-Sep-2025-03-12-PM-7969

He Left Islam For Christianity. Now He’s Being Tortured In A Prison In Cairo.

Egypt

Prison

Torture

An assistant high school football coach who is also a school resource officer (SRO) in Clarksville, Tennessee, was removed from the coaching staff over complaints that he was proselytizing to players.
Trey Campbell, a volunteer assistant coach for Northwest High School, was escorted out of last week&#8217;s game at halftime by the school&#8217;s principal after he was holding a Bible and leading players in prayer, according to local news outlet, <a href="https://clarksvillenow.com/local/northwest-sro-put-on-leave-during-review-of-proselytizing-complaint-while-coaching-football/">Clarksville Now</a>. Campbell, a deputy with the Montgomery County Sheriff&#8217;s Office, was also placed on paid leave from his job as an SRO at the school.
The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) said that it had received complaints about Campbell doing more than just leading players in prayer and was attempting to convert players to his faith while in his official capacity as a school employee. The school district said it is currently investigating the incident, WKRN <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/clarksville/northwest-high-school-assistant-football-coach-removed-form-team-after-prayer-sparking-debate-over-faith-in-schools/">reported</a>.
&#8220;It’s my understanding that the concern was not with private prayer, but that the principal received a concern that an employee was proselytizing in their official capacity,&#8221; a CMCSS official added in a statement. &#8220;We will investigate, and I can share more when that investigation has concluded. We are not able to conduct interviews or comment further until after the investigation has concluded.”
According to the school district, &#8220;multiple witnesses observed and video footage corroborated Campbell spending significant time throughout the game on the sidelines with players and other students, quoting scripture, holding a Bible up to spectators, and leading prayers.&#8221;
The school district alleged that Campbell &#8220;became visibly emotional and confrontational&#8221; when he was asked to keep his prayers private. The district added, &#8220;However, multiple witnesses stated that when asked to stop causing a disruption and to put his Bible away, Campbell stated loudly that &#8216;I can’t do it, won’t do it,&#8217; and &#8216;my job is to save these babies.'&#8221;
CMCSS said that witnesses found Campbell&#8217;s behavior last Friday &#8220;uncharacteristic,&#8221; adding, &#8220;Campbell has otherwise been an outstanding SRO, coach, and valued member of the Northwest High School community. He has built positive relationships with students, families, and staff, and has contributed to the safety and well-being of the school.&#8221;
Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson told Clarksville Now that the department &#8220;firmly stands behind any citizen who chooses to lawfully exercise their constitutional rights. This includes our employees.&#8221; Fuson added, “As a man of faith, I was equally concerned about the initial information regarding this and how it appeared to have been handled.&#8221;
The sheriff, however, acknowledged that &#8220;there are always two sides to consider,&#8221; referring to the school district&#8217;s review of the incident involving Campbell. The deputy was placed on leave for &#8220;a couple of paid days off to process all of this,&#8221; according to the sheriff. Fuson added that Campbell&#8217;s position as an SRO at Northwest High School has not changed. When asked to provide further details about the incident and where the sheriff stands on the issue, the Montgomery County Sheriff&#8217;s Office told The Daily Wire that it did not have any further comment at this time.
The issue over Campbell&#8217;s religious practices at the football game comes as President Donald Trump moves to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-promises-fresh-push-to-defend-prayer-in-public-schools">protect prayer</a> in public schools. Trump said on Monday that he has directed the Department of Education to &#8220;issue new guidance protecting the right to prayer in our public schools.&#8221;
&#8220;America has always been a nation that believes in the power of prayer,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/">said</a>. &#8220;Together we will make our Country greater, stronger, more united, and more faithful than ever before!&#8221;
The controversy in Tennessee shares some similarities to a major Supreme Court case that was decided in 2022, when high school football coach Joseph Kennedy was pressured by a public school system in Bremerton, Washington, to stop his practice of praying on the field after each game; a practice that many of his players joined. Kennedy&#8217;s contract was not renewed after the controversy over his post-game prayer, and the coach sued the school board. The case made it all the way up to the Supreme Court, which ruled 6-3 in Kennedy&#8217;s favor.
In a phone call with The Daily Wire, Marc Wheat, General Counsel for former Vice President Mike Pence&#8217;s organization, Advancing American Freedom, brought up the Kennedy v. Bremerton School District case. Wheat, however, said that the issue in Tennessee appears to differ from the famous 2022 decision based on what&#8217;s been reported so far.
&#8220;My understanding is that Campbell&#8217;s prayer time was during a game where the football players are there to be coached on strategy, tactics, getting them pumped up to go back on the field,&#8221; Wheat said. &#8220;So that&#8217;s pretty different from the Coach Kennedy case.&#8221;
Wheat added that an important question that must be answered is whether the players were required to be present and listening to their coaches when Campbell was exercising his faith. He said that the arguments for and against Campbell practicing his faith at the game could change as more information comes out about the incident. Another aspect that Wheat pointed out that could add to a legal dilemma is that Campbell was acting as a volunteer football coach, while his employment was with the sheriff&#8217;s department.
Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, director of the Conscience Project — a religious liberty advocacy group — told The Daily Wire that &#8220;often what&#8217;s reported isn&#8217;t what&#8217;s really going on&#8221; when it comes to religious liberty cases.
&#8220;Sometimes something becomes very sensational and school administrators often act, throwing the net wider than they should and disciplining people for exercising legitimate rights out of fear and ignorance,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;Obviously, there are elements to what&#8217;s been reported that look like religious activity was possibly going on during the game, during what would normally be the coaching of young people. And I think that&#8217;s where the record has to be developed more,&#8221; Picciotti-Bayer continued, adding, &#8220;There isn&#8217;t a problem unless there&#8217;s a level of coercion.&#8221;
Picciotti-Bayer said that new guidance from Trump&#8217;s Education Department could be vital for further protecting religious liberty. She said that she expects the guidance to allow school employees &#8220;to actually live your faith, say your prayer at lunch time. Maybe not over an intercom, but to let that be a part of your life. You don&#8217;t have to leave your faith at the parking lot of the school or the parking lot of the football stadium.&#8221;
This story has been updated to include additional comment from the school district.

Football Field, Bible

High School Football Coach Loses Gig, Placed On Leave After Carrying Bible, Praying With Players

School Resource Officer Loses Coaching Gig, Placed On Leave After Carrying Bible, Praying With Playe

High school sports

Religious Liberty

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that schools violate religious liberty when they bar parents from opting their children out of classroom instruction involving LGBT-themed books, a major win for religious conservatives.
Justices voted 6-3 along ideological lines to back a group of religious parents affiliated with Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland who argued they should be able to opt their children out of lessons with LGBT themes.
The Maryland parents who sued included Catholics, Muslims, and Ukrainian Orthodox.
The controversial LGBT books included &#8220;Prince and Knight&#8221; about a prince who falls in love with a knight instead of a princess and &#8220;Uncle Bobby&#8217;s Wedding&#8221; about a girl&#8217;s uncle who marries another man.
Justice Samuel Alito penned the <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-297_4f14.pdf">opinion</a>, writing that the school district burdened the parents&#8217; First Amendment rights.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
&#8220;Today, we hold that the parents have shown that they are entitled to a preliminary injunction. A government burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses &#8216;a very real threat of undermining&#8217; the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill,&#8221; Alito wrote.
Alito said the &#8220;storybooks unmistakably convey a particular viewpoint about same-sex marriage and gender&#8221; and the school board has &#8220;specifically encouraged teachers to reinforce this viewpoint and to reprimand any children who disagree. That goes far beyond mere &#8216;exposure.'&#8221;
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissent that was joined by the other two liberal justices in which she criticized the court allowing &#8220;parental veto power over curricular choices long left to the democratic process and local administrators.&#8221;
&#8220;The reverberations of the Court&#8217;s error will be felt, I fear, for generations,&#8221; Sotomayor wrote.
Rosalind Hanson, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said she is &#8220;thrilled&#8221; with the decision.
&#8220;I am thrilled with the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold religious liberty and parental rights against our authoritarian school district pushing a one-sided agenda,&#8221; Hanson told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;Our children should never have been forced to learn about such sensitive topics without the ability for parents to know or opt them out,&#8221; said Hanson, who also chairs the Moms for Liberty Chapter in Montgomery County.
The legal team for the plaintiffs called the decision a &#8220;historic victory.&#8221;
“Kids shouldn’t be forced into conversations about drag queens, pride parades, or gender transitions without their parents’ permission. Today, the Court restored common sense and made clear that parents — not government — have the final say in how their children are raised,&#8221; said Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represented the plaintiffs.
Trump called the decision a &#8220;tremendous ruling for parents.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I think the ruling was a great ruling, and I think it&#39;s a great ruling for parents&#8230; they lost control of the schools. They lost control of their child, and this is a tremendous victory for parents.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Pla2qrLE36">https://t.co/Pla2qrLE36</a> <a href="https://t.co/jqySSHA8QM">pic.twitter.com/jqySSHA8QM</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1938631684284432695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“I think it’s a great ruling for parents. It’s really a ruling for parents. They lost control of the schools, they lost control of their child, and this is a tremendous victory for parents. And I’m not surprised by it, but I am surprised that it went this far,” Trump said in the White House briefing room on Friday.
Parental rights advocates and religious groups celebrated Friday&#8217;s decision as well.
“Storybooks like those at issue in Mahmoud convey normative messages on sex and gender, and those messages can and often do conflict with the beliefs of parents and their children,&#8221; said Sarah Parshall Perry, vice president and legal fellow at Defending Education.
&#8220;Today&#8217;s ruling should act as a directive to every American school district: notify parents of controversial material, and provide them the opportunity to opt their children out — especially if you provide opt-outs for other curriculum or other reasons,&#8221; Perry said.
Kelsey Reinhardt, president and CEO of CatholicVote said the case was a &#8220;major victory&#8221; but that it should &#8220;alarm every American&#8221; that the high court had to step in.
&#8220;For over two years, Catholic parents alongside parents of other faiths have been forced to defend their constitutional right to opt their pre-K-8th grade children out of radical LGBTQ+ course materials that contradict their own religious beliefs,&#8221; Reinhardt said, adding that Montgomery schools &#8220;insisted on forcing explicit curriculum about gender ideology on children as young as 3 years old.&#8221;
&#8220;The Court’s ruling sends a clear and powerful message: America still respects the rights of parents to raise their children in line with their faith and conscience,&#8221; she said.

Supreme Court Hears Arguments On Parental Rights Regarding LGBTQ Books In Schools

Supreme Court Sides With Parents, Says Schools Can’t Mandate LGBT Curricula

Supreme Court Rules Schools Must Let Religious Parents Opt Out Of LGBT Books

Courts

Parents rights

SCOTUS

U.S.

The Religious Liberty Commission met Monday for the first time at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., to discuss faith policies. The Commission was presided over by Chairman and Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Vice Chairman Dr. Ben Carson.
The commission was first established back in May by an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/05/establishment-of-the-religious-liberty-commission/">executive order</a> from President Trump. The executive order commissioned a panel of professionals and public religious figures under the Department of Justice and Attorney General Pamela Bondi, who spoke at this first meeting.
Some notable <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/05/president-trump-announces-religious-liberty-commission-members/">members of the commission</a> include Catholic Bishop Robert Barron, the founder of Word on Fire Ministry, and Pastor Paula White, the senior advisor to the White House Faith Office. Pastor Franklin Graham, a well-known Evangelical minister, Dr. Phil McGraw, host of the &#8220;Dr. Phil&#8221; talk show, and Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik, a premier Orthodox rabbi based in Manhattan, also serve on the commission.
The commission will run until July 4th, 2026, unless extended by Trump. Over the next year, the commission will meet periodically to hear the testimonies of prominent legal scholars and religious leaders.
Patrick began the meeting by restating the commission&#8217;s purpose, as laid out in its charter. The purpose, he said, was &#8220;to advise and to report to the president&#8221; their findings on the treatment of religion in America.
Carson, who has previously served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the first Trump administration, stated that the commission&#8217;s goal is to promote spirituality among Americans.
&#8220;This commission promotes freedom of beliefs and that spiritual aspect of our existence that advances civilization,&#8221; Carson said. &#8220;We will strive to facilitate the maintenance of one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.&#8221;
Kelly Shackelford, a constitutional scholar and member of the commission, remarked that, as the Founders of America believed, the first battle against dictatorial power would be fought on the grounds of religious freedom. Religious freedom, he said, is the &#8220;precipice of all of our freedoms.&#8221;
Paula White, a member of the commission, leads the first White House Faith Office for the president. White commented, &#8220;The Commission will focus on long-term strategies to secure religious freedom for future generations. We will gather data, conduct legal analysis, hold public hearings to capture the stories of everyday Americans related to religious liberty.&#8221;
Later in the meeting, Attorney General Pam Bondi commented on the Trump administration’s stance toward religious liberty.
&#8220;From the start, the United States of America was envisioned as a place where religious liberty meant the freedom to discern good from evil without the heavy hand of the government weighing in,&#8221; she said.
Bondi condemned the arrests of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-life-activist-sentenced-to-over-four-years-in-prison-over-protest-at-d-c-abortion-facility">pro-life Christians</a>, those who <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYK1XPKdV7M">blocked access to synagogues</a> in antisemitic protests, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-de-blasio-threatens-to-permanently-close-nyc-churches-if-they-dont-comply-with-social-distancing">prosecution</a> of church gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Biden administration’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-declares-easter-sunday-transgender-day-of-visibility">declaration</a> of a transgender day of visibility on Easter in 2024, as well as other anti-religious acts.
Bondi added, &#8220;This president and this administration are fully committed to restoring and defending religious liberty for all Americans. The Religious Liberty Commission will be the tip of the spear. Together we will return America to the vision of our Founders – a nation where faith merely isn’t tolerated but it&#8217;s embraced and celebrated.&#8221;

Last Minute Christmas Shopping in Birmingham

Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission Meets To Discuss Faith Policies

Ben Carson

Pam Bondi

Trump Administration

A deadlocked Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a decision blocking an Oklahoma Catholic school from participating in the state&#8217;s charter school program.
The 4-4 decision upholds the Oklahoma Supreme Court&#8217;s decision to ban the Oklahoma City-based St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School from being eligible. It was unclear how the justices voted, but Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the case.
The case pitted the Catholic school against Oklahoma Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who sued the school after the state&#8217;s charter school board voted to approve St. Isidore&#8217;s participation. Drummond argued that allowing religious schools to take part in the program would force taxpayers to fund schools with religious beliefs they did not support.
&#8220;The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of my position that we should not allow taxpayer funding of radical Islamic schools here in Oklahoma. I am proud to have fought against this potential cancer in our state, and I will continue upholding the law, protecting our Christian values and defending religious liberty,&#8221; Drummond <a href="https://x.com/Okla_OAG/status/1925559733697540373">posted</a> on X after the decision from the court was released.
Represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the school and charter board argued that Oklahoma discriminated based on religion.
“Oklahoma parents and children are better off with more educational choices, not fewer,&#8221; ADF chief legal counsel Jim Campbell <a href="https://adflegal.org/press-release/divided-us-supreme-court-leaves-oklahoma-families-with-fewer-educational-choices/?sourcecode=11036715_r200">said</a>. &#8220;While the Supreme Court’s order is disappointing for educational freedom, the 4-4 decision does not set precedent, allowing the court to revisit this issue in the future. The U.S. Supreme Court has been clear that when the government creates programs and invites groups to participate, it can’t single out religious groups for exclusion, and we will continue our work to protect this vital freedom for parents and students.&#8221;
A win for St. Isidore would have struck down a provision of the Oklahoma Charter School Act that expressly forbids religious charter schools and could open the door for more religious charter schools across the country.
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In previous decisions, such as Trinity Lutheran v. Comer, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, and Carson v. Makin, the Supreme Court sided with religious organizations that had been locked out of state programs based on their religious nature. In Carson, the Supreme Court struck down a ban in Maine on vouchers from going toward religious schools.
During oral arguments, several justices on the court&#8217;s conservative wing appeared to side with St. Isidore while the liberal wing signaled strong opposition.
&#8220;You can’t treat religious people and religious institutions and religious speech as second class in the United States,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-conservatives-signal-support-for-public-religious-charter-schools" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, adding that excluding religious schools “seems like rank discrimination.”

Supreme Court Takes On Religious Charter School Case

Split Supreme Court Blocks Christian School From Participating In Charter Program

Oklahoma

Politics

Religious Schools

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