Don Byrd, Author at BJC

Newly enacted national school voucher program undermines ‘both public schools and religious freedom’

The national school voucher program in the new law is disguised as a tax credit scheme. It makes a mockery of our Founders’ principled opposition to forcing taxpayer support of religion.

IRS announces new policy regarding houses of worship and endorsement of political candidates in settlement of lawsuit challenge

The IRS has refrained from enforcing the ban on church electioneering in recent years. This announcement makes it official with respect to houses of worship while keeping the so-called “Johnson Amendment,” that portion of the tax code that prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from opposing or endorsing candidates for office, intact.

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.