Download (PDF, 183KB)

American Humanist Association’s Legal Center Acts on Behalf of Parents, Calling for End to Sectarian Events

For Immediate Release

Contact: William Burgess, bburgess@americanhumanist.org, 202-238-9088 x 102
Brian Magee, bmagee@americanhumanist.org, 202-238-9088 x 105

(Washington, DC, June 11, 2013) — The American Humanist Association has sent a cease-and-desist letter to a South Carolina public elementary school that held its recent graduation ceremony in a chapel on the campus of a Christian university. The letter explained that this ceremony, which also included two prayers, is a violation of the separation of church and state.

After receiving a complaint from the parents of one of the school’s graduating 5^th grade students, the American Humanist Association’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center yesterday sent a letter to the superintendent and principal of Mountain View Elementary School in Taylors, South Carolina, objecting to the unconstitutional nature of the ceremony. The letter warns of a possible lawsuit if the school continues to hold events of a sectarian nature or in a sectarian venue.

The graduation was held on May 30, 2013 at North Greenville University. The official schedule of events called for prayers on two separate occasions as part of the ceremony, which took place in a large Christian worship space, adorned with crosses, stained glass and other religious elements. The university’s logo includes the phrase “Christ Makes the Difference.”

“It has been made clear by the federal courts that events such as these violate the constitutional principle of separation of church and state,” said Monica Miller, an attorney and legal consultant with the Appignani Humanist Legal Center. “When a public school sponsors an event, it is the administration’s responsibility to ensure separation of church and state is maintained.”

The letter sent to Superintendent W. Burke Royster and Principal Jennifer Gibson can be found here.

The family who brought the complaint has decided for the time being to remain anonymous.

###

The American Humanist Association (www.americanhumanist.org) advocates for the rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington D.C., its work is extended through more than 160 local chapters and affiliates across the United States. Special thanks to the Louis J. Appignani Foundation for their support of the Appignani Humanist Legal Center.

Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism, affirms a responsibility to lead ethical lives of value to self and humanity.

For Immediate Release

Contact: William Burgess, bburgess@americanhumanist.org, 202-238-9088 x 102

(Washington, DC, June 10, 2013) — Massachusetts state medical authorities have responded positively to a request to make available secular alternatives to religious 12-step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, for those facing disciplinary action. The change was requested by attorneys with the American Humanist Association’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center in response to a complaint from a local doctor being scrutinized by the State Board of Registration in Medicine (BRM).

The BRM contracts with the Physician Health Services, Inc. (PHS) to develop treatment plans for its doctors with substance abuse problems. Up until now, the PHS has not made it explicitly clear to doctors they can attend secular alternatives to faith-based programs.

While BRM and PHS officials have agreed that treatment options should not be limited to sectarian-based groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, attorneys with the American Humanist Association’s legal center continue to work with them on official wording to ensure it’s clear that secular options such as SMART Recovery and Rational Recovery are also acceptable.

“Compliance with the Constitution requires that participation in religious programs can’t be dictated or coerced,” said Monica Miller, an attorney and legal consultant with the Appignani Humanist Legal Center. “The willingness state medical officials have shown in resolving this problem is reassuring.”

Details can be found here.

###

The American Humanist Association (www.americanhumanist.org) advocates for the rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington D.C., its work is extended through more than 160 local chapters and affiliates across the United States. Special thanks to the Louis J. Appignani Foundation and The Herb Block Foundation for their support of the Appignani Humanist Legal Center.

Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism, affirms a responsibility to lead ethical lives of value to self and humanity.

AHA says city violated separation of church and state

For Immediate Release

Contact: William Burgess, bburgess@americanhumanist.org, 202-238-9088 x 102

(Washington, DC, May 31, 2013) — The American Humanist Association (AHA) filed suit in federal court today against the city of Lake Elsinore, California, to stop it from funding the construction and display on public property of a monument depicting a soldier kneeling in prayer before a Christian cross. The city approved the design and funding of the cross monument in November of last year but has yet to complete its installation at the city-owned baseball stadium. The AHA’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center sent a letter at that time to the city council explaining that cross monument would violate the separation of church and state required by the Constitution, but no reply was received. The city approved the design and allocated approximately $50,000 of city funds for construction and installation.

“The city has clearly violated the First Amendment by unnecessarily choosing a divisively religious means of honoring our veterans,” said William Burgess, an attorney with the Appignani Humanist Legal Center. “In addition, the California constitution prohibits any governmental funding whatsoever for religious purposes, including religious monuments.”

The suit contains details about the times several city officials and supporters of the proposed monument publicly declared the Christian symbolism it includes was at least part of the reason they supported its construction. Despite the clearly sectarian motivation for spending public money—and a warning from the town’s attorney that the monument as approved is likely unconstitutional—the city council unanimously voted to approve the monument anyway, saying that they were “taking a stand” for Christianity and against the separation of church and state.

The lawsuit, American Humanist Association et al. v. City of Lake Elsinore, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. A copy of the complaint is available here.

###

The American Humanist Association (www.americanhumanist.org) advocates for the rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington D.C., its work is extended through more than 160 local chapters and affiliates across the United States. Special thanks to the Louis J. Appignani Foundation and The Herb Block Foundation for their support of the Appignani Humanist Legal Center.

Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism, affirms a responsibility to lead ethical lives of value to self and humanity.

Download (PDF, 236KB)

Hake v. Carroll County complaint by Appignani Humanist Legal Center

AHA says Board of Commissioners violated separation of church and state

For Immediate Release

Contact: William Burgess, bburgess@americanhumanist.org, 202-238-9088 x 102

(Washington, DC, May 1, 2013) — The Board of Commissioners in Carroll County, Maryland, was sued today by the Washington DC-based American Humanist Association for opening its meetings with Commissioner-delivered sectarian prayers.

According to the legal filing, prayers containing the Christian references “Jesus,” “Lord” and “Savior” were delivered on more than 50 separate occasions at board meetings held during 2011 and 2012. In March 2012, the Appignani Humanist Legal Center of the American Humanist Association sent a letter to the Board of County Commissioners explaining how such prayers are unconstitutional. No reply was received.

“As the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has already decided, it is a clear violation of the Establishment Clause when a legislature opens its sessions with sectarian prayers,” said William Burgess, coordinator of the Appignani Humanist Legal Center. “The Carroll County board has unconstitutionally affiliated itself with and promoted Christianity through these prayers.”

According to the complaint, the plaintiffs in the case find the sectarian prayers “divisive and exclusionary, leaving them to conclude that they are unwelcome at Board meetings and political outsiders in their own community.”

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Carroll County is just northwest of Baltimore and includes the cities of Westminster and Taneytown. It borders on Pennsylvania.

The complaint is available online here.

###

The American Humanist Association (www.americanhumanist.org) advocates for the rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington D.C., its work is extended through more than 160 local chapters and affiliates across the United States. Special thanks to the Louis J. Appignani Foundation and The Herb Block Foundation for their support of the Appignani Humanist Legal Center.

Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism, affirms a responsibility to lead ethical lives of value to self and humanity.