"It's no wonder that so many successful foster parents say that the support of their faith community and the religious agencies they partner with has been a vital resource." #FreeToFoster#SCOTUS#Fulton#fostercare
"Protecting #religiousfreedom and the interests of same-sex couples can be harmonized. Let us hope that the
Supreme Court in #Fulton takes the opportunity to do so with clear guidance." #SCOTUS#FreeToFoster
THREAD: All about today’s argument in #Fulton v. Philadelphia. Both the Justices and the parties agreed that Catholic Social Services, Sharonell Fulton, and Toni Simms-Busch do vital work to protect needy kids in Philadelphia. #FreeToFoster#fultonvphiladelphia (1/13)
By contrast, the Justices repeatedly worried that city officials were going out of their way to manufacture an unnecessary fight, taking a position that will hurt kids in foster care and shut down CSS’s 200-year-old ministry. (2/13) #fultonvphiladelphia
For instance, Justice Breyer said that it was “bothering me a lot” that “no family has ever been turned down by this agency—indeed has never applied,” but city officials still tried to shut Catholic Social Services down. (3/13) #SCOTUS#Fulton
Bigotry in the Big Apple? Because @NYGovCuomo admitted to “focusing on ultra-Orthodox communities” for his new #COVID19 shutdowns, Yitzchok and Chana Lebovits (and the Jewish school their daughters attend) are taking Cuomo and@NYCMayor de Blasio to court. THREAD:
Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam (BYAM) is a Jewish Orthodox girls’ school inside the select number of zip codes that NY has imposed new lockdowns. It bans in-person instruction at the school—stripping parents like the Lebovitses of their right to direct the upbringing of their children
Parent Chana Lebovitz says @NYGovCuomo took away “part of my daughters’ childhood because other people are afraid of Orthodox Jews. We hope the court will let our daughters go back to school so they can pray and learn together with their classmates.”
Today’s #SCOTUS win in #Espinoza v. Montana Board of Revenue is a BIG VICTORY for #religiousfreedom not just in schools, but across the board. Here’s why (THREAD):
First, the Court said that Blaine Amendments are “born of bigotry” and “arose at a time of pervasive hostility to the Catholic Church” and thus have a “shameful pedigree.” (2/9)
If you have any doubts about the rampant discrimination behind Blaine Amendments, Justice Alito included in his concurring opinion an 1871 Thomas Nast cartoon from our brief that shows the anti-Catholic bigotry of the day. (3/9)
The leadership of over 700 Catholic and Lutheran churches, represented by @BECKETlaw & @SidleyLaw, told @GovTimWalz and AG @keithellison that the First Amendment doesn’t let the government put churches at the back of the line during reopening. go.aws/2LQSmWV (2/8)
Minnesota’s re-opening plan lets people seek retail therapy at the mall, but not spiritual solace at church. Today’s press conference underscored @GovTimWalz’s failure to appreciate the integral role of faith in the well-being of the community. bit.ly/2XlVXSy (3/8)