FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jordan Edwards / 202-544-4226 / [email protected]
WASHINGTON— High school juniors and seniors can win up to $2,000 for college in the 2015 Religious Liberty Essay Scholarship Contest, sponsored by the Religious Liberty Council of the Baptist Joint Committee. Essays must tackle the topic of an employer’s ability to dictate an employee’s attire, including religious apparel that an employee requests to wear on the job.
Each year, the contest engages high school students in church-state issues by directing them to express a point of view on a religious liberty topic. The grand prize is $2,000 and a trip for two to Washington, D.C. Second prize is $1,000, and third prize is $250.
High school students in the graduating classes of 2015 and 2016 can enter the contest by writing an essay between 800-1,200 words addressing the following:
Under federal law, employers cannot discriminate on the basis of religion — and other protected categories — when hiring if they have 15 or more employees. A conflict can arise when an employer refuses to allow an employee to wear religious clothing at work or refuses to hire someone because of such attire.
For example, clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch claimed its “look policy” allowed it to not hire a Muslim woman who wanted to wear a hijab — or head scarf — on the sales floor.
In an essay, discuss whether and to what extent an employer should be able to dictate an employee’s attire — such as denying an employee’s request to wear religious garb.
Should the image or brand the employer portrays with a dress code trump the employee’s religious expression? What are the broader implications for religious liberty?
Entries must be mailed to the Baptist Joint Committee and postmarked by March 6, 2015, to be eligible.
Winners will be announced by the end of summer 2015, and the grand prize winner will be recognized at the BJC board meeting in Washington, D.C., in October 2015.
Essays will be judged on the depth of their content, the mastery of the topic, and the skill with which they are written. Students should develop a point of view on the issue and demonstrate critical thinking, using appropriate examples, reasons and other evidence to support their position.
Visit www.BJConline.org/contest for complete contest rules. If you have questions, contact Charles Watson Jr. at 202-544-4226 or by email at [email protected].
—30—
The Baptist Joint Committee is a 78-year-old, Washington, D.C.-based religious liberty organization that works to defend and extend God-given religious liberty for all, bringing a uniquely Baptist witness to the principle that religion must be freely exercised, neither advanced nor inhibited by government.
