In 2013, the ACLU became aware that for the past several years Harbor Springs School District has allowed religious individuals and groups into the school during the day to proselytize young students. One such practice was the “pizza with the priest” program.

Without getting permission from parents, school officials allowed clergy to meet with sixth graders in the cafeteria during the lunch hour and lecture them about God. To entice students to the meeting, the priests offered them pizza and soda, but they could only eat the pizza after saying a Christian prayer.

Gov. Rick Snyder and the Michigan legislature created the Educational Achievement Authority (EAA) to educate students in the lowest performing schools in the state.

In February 2014, the EAA publicized a job announcement in Detroit for a pre-school teacher responsible for teaching “early childhood education curriculum in a Christian setting.”

After the ACLU of Michigan wrote a letter to the EAA Chancellor reminding him of the constitutional prohibition on religious discrimination in public schools, the EAA immediately removed the posting.

In several federal lawsuits filed in Michigan, private employers challenged the new requirement under the Affordable Care Act (or “Obamacare”) that all employee health insurance plans include birth control prescription coverage.

These employers argued that the contraceptive mandate violated their right to religious liberty. Congress added the contraception prescription requirement to address discrimination against women, who have historically paid much higher out-of-pocket costs than men for reproductive health care.

The ACLU maintains a presence in Lansing that enables us to pass policies that expand civil liberties or prevent the passage of policies that are hostile to civil liberties. Through traditional lobbying techniques lobbying, advocacy, and advocacy the legislative program seeks to advance and protect our civil liberties.

The ACLU of Michigan’s legislative program works on a breadth of issues. To give you an idea of what we’ve been up to, we have provided a brief summary, our position on the issue and where the bill is currently situation in the legislative process.

The ACLU maintains a presence in Lansing that enables us to pass policies that expand civil liberties or prevent the passage of policies that are hostile to civil liberties. Through traditional lobbying techniques lobbying, advocacy, and advocacy the legislative program seeks to advance and protect our civil liberties.

The ACLU of Michigan’s legislative program works on a breadth of issues. To give you an idea of what we’ve been up to, we have provided a brief summary, our position on the issue and where the bill is currently situation in the legislative process.

Despite the recent landmark Supreme Court ruling in favor of the freedom to marry, the road to full equality for everyone in our state continues to be pocked with obstacles. Few obstacles currently loom as large as the potential danger of SB 4, the "religious freedom restoration act" (RFRA) now being debated in the state legislature.

If passed, the bill would allow faith to be used to legally discriminate against LGBT communities and others.

A federal district court today dismissed a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Michigan on behalf of a pregnant woman who was denied appropriate medical treatment because of the hospital's religious directives.

In terminating the lawsuit brought by Muskegon resident Tamesha Means against the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan said it was doing so, in part, because resolution of the case would involve reviewing religious doctrine.

As debate over "religious freedom restoration acts," or RFRAs, heat up around the country and here in Michigan, the threat of religion being used to discriminate grows exponentially. And not only would businesses, nonprofit groups and individuals be empowered to legally discriminate in the name of their faiths, as we've previously warned. That discrimination could come at the expense of the common good. Here's how....

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