Don Byrd, Author at BJC

U.S. Supreme Court says Constitution guarantees parents the right to opt out of public school instruction that interferes with religious upbringing of children

In Mahmoud v. Taylor, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with parents seeking notice and the opportunity to opt their children out of public school curriculum that conflicts with the parents’ religious beliefs.

Federal appeals court finds Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law unconstitutional as Texas enacts a similar measure

In Roake v. Brumley, Louisiana’s plan to mandate the posting of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom again met a constitutional roadblock.

Unanimous Supreme Court decision focuses on definition of ‘religious purposes’ in giving exemption to Catholic Charities Bureau

In its unanimous decision, the Supreme Court said that Wisconsin’s denial of a religious exemption under the state’s unemployment compensation laws violated the First Amendment rights of Catholic Charities Bureau.

BJC slams new Trump travel ban as a ‘moral failure and a constitutional affront,’ supports NO BAN Act

One of the ugliest policies of the first Trump administration is back: President Donald Trump’s new travel ban prohibits or limits nationals from more than a dozen countries from entering the United States. But, there’s a way for you to oppose this policy.

U.S. Supreme Court declines Oak Flat petition, allows for federal transfer of sacred land to mining company

The fight to save sacred land in the southwest won’t happen at the U.S. Supreme Court – at least, not right now. Over an impassioned dissent, the Court declined to take up the petition of Apache Stronghold challenging the federal government’s transfer of sacred land to a mining company.