Freethought-Now

Some people may be enjoying a relaxing summer but we at the Freedom From Religion Foundation have been engaged in a burst of activity.

It appears that FFRF may soon be part of a showdown over an unconstitutional law mandating posting of Ten Commandment displays in all Texas public school classrooms. A legal action we and a coalition filed early this week before the Supreme Court to appeal our challenge has received a huge amount of attention. The Associated Press, Washington Post and USA Today have covered it, among others.

“A closely watched fight over religion in Texas public schools has San Antonio-area families and school districts at the center of a legal battle that could be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court,” reports the San Antonio CBS affiliate, just to give you a flavor. “The plaintiffs are represented by the ACLU of Texas, ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and Freedom From Religion Foundation, along with pro bono counsel.”

Read our press release for more info. We’ll keep you posted on developments as we await whether the high court will accept our challenge.

Our opposition to Mass. public religious statues moves forward

A positive legal development for us in Massachusetts over our challenge of Catholic statues in front of a police building has our office celebrating and has received good coverage there.

“In the end, there was no divine intervention for the city of Quincy,” reports the Commonwealth Beacon, a statewide news portal. “After a lower court judge temporarily blocked the city from installing 10-foot-tall bronze statues of Catholic patron saints on the facade of its new public safety building, siding with the residents who sued to stop it as impermissible government support for religion, the city appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court. On Thursday, the state’s highest court upheld the judge’s injunction, deciding that he ruled correctly that the city’s actions likely violated the state’s bar on government favoring a particular religion. Fifteen Quincy residents, represented by the ACLU of Massachusetts along with the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, sued Koch and the city in May 2025.”

We file a joint information request
And an official information request we very recently filed with five Tennessee school districts related to their plans to display the Ten Commandments has already started receiving media queries! “We are committed to protecting students’ and parents’ constitutional rights and are launching an investigation of every school district that foolishly accepts the state’s invitation to trample those rights,” says a statement we released with other secular groups that have joined us in this request.

We explain our perspective to N.J. outlet
A New Jersey news outfit approached us for our perspective regarding a federal lawsuit the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has filed against a school district alleging discrimination after we complained about the fellowship’s activities. FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line patiently explained to them our interpretation of the situation. 

Indiana public media airs our viewpoint
And when a religious release time program tried to expand its reach in Indiana schools, the Bloomington-area public media portal asked us for our response.

“Madeline Ziegler, staff attorney for Freedom from Religion Foundation Inc., said she has received an increasing number of complaints from across the country, including Indiana, about religion playing a bigger role in public school classrooms,” the site states. “Her organization works to ensure religious programming isn’t occurring on school property — which she said has occurred in Indiana — and advocates for lessons to take place outside of school hours. She said release time programs like LifeWise are known to create student conflict and logistical issues for schools.” 

FFRF attorney interviewed on YouTube show
FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line had a great conversation with Frank Figliuzzi, a former FBI special agent, for his YouTube show about the growing collision between President Trump, Christian nationalism, churches, government power and the 2026 midterm elections. Take a look!

We ended religion-suffused convocations

We’ve made certain that future staff events in a Georgia public school system will not be treated like church. We received reports from numerous school district employees regarding a highly religious mandatory convocation. We asked the district to put a stop to the proselytizing and religious coercion of employees. We are pleased to report that the district has pledged to change course.

We got a prayer walk scuttled

We convinced the Muskogee Public Schools System in Oklahoma to cancel a proposed prayer walk at a district middle school. We insisted the district investigate the situation and ensure that the school refrained from organizing and promoting religious events going forward. The superintendent responded via email confirming that the district took corrective action. FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor says, “It is encouraging to see a school district respond quickly when constitutional concerns are brought to its attention.”

Please make Thomas Paine Memorial happen!

We’re asking you to please take a moment to make your public comment in support of a long-overdue memorial to Founder Thomas Paine in Washington, D.C.  Please contact the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, which helps to advance memorials in Washington, D.C., now through Sept. 10 — and spread the word to other Paine aficionados. Even a sentence or two in support of the Paine memorial will make a meaningful difference!

Check out the activities of our legislative affiliate
Our legislative affiliate, the FFRF Action Fund, has been busy lately. To find out more, please look here.

Our new youth-oriented show

We are pleased to announce a new show focusing on the experiences of Gen-Z and millennial atheists, agnostics and other nonreligious folks. Season One covers topics such as: creating your own traditions to replace religious ones, the intersection of atheism and sex education, atheist views on the concepts of good and evil, finding nonreligious community, leaving “reddit atheism” — and more! FFRF’s Digital Media Manager Rowan Hahn hosts the show that focuses on the lives and opinions of everyday people, and of course, some of FFRF’s staff. Catch a glimpse!

Remembering a freethought icon

The latest episode of our “Secular Spotlight” series enlightens the audience about a forgotten champion of freethought. FFRF’s Dan Barker and Scott Knickelbine explore the remarkable legacy of Robert G. Ingersoll with Vanderbilt Professor Paul Stob, examining the 19th-century orator’s advocacy for freethought, church-state separation, science, morality and individual liberty. They also discuss why Ingersoll became one of America’s most popular lecturers — and why his ideas remain relevant today.

Ron Reagan interviews Rep. Huffman — both speaking at FFRF convention

On our Freethought Radio episode this week, after we note our legal action in Texas against the Ten Commandments law, we hear Ron Reagan interview Rep. Jared Huffman about his new book “No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism.” This excerpts the exciting “meeting of the minds” FFRF held online last weekend, ably emceed by Oklahoma state Rep. Mickey Dollens, our regional governmental affairs manager. You can still order your copy of Huffman’s significant book at: ffrf.org/shop Both Rep. Huffman and Ron Reagan will be appearing at FFRF’s upcoming national convention in mid-October. It’s time to make your plans!

Dissecting the recent Supreme Court term
With the latest Supreme Court term officially complete, the hosts of “We Dissent” dissect the potential impacts of the important decisions. FFRF Deputy Legal Director Liz Cavell, Americans United for Separation of Church and State Legal Director Rebecca Markert and National Women’s Law Center Director of Nominations & Democracy Alison Gill recap the recent Supreme Court term and its implications for religious liberty. 

This flurry — in our media offerings and generally — is only made possible due to all the support you continue to provide. Thank you!

The post Weekly Wrap: Supreme Court showdown, Thomas Paine, a freethought icon and Rep. Huffman’s book appeared first on Freethought Now.