FFRF denounces federal CHARLIE Act censorship bill

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is sounding the alarm on a federal bill that would inject ideological censorship into federally supported history and civics education programs.

HR 8705, the so-called Civics and History Advancement to Restore Learning, Integrity, and Education Act (or CHARLIE Act), would prohibit federal education funds from supporting instruction or programming deemed to promote “gender ideology” or “discriminatory equity ideology.” The acronym, of course, is a nod to slain Turning Point USA leader Charlie Kirk. The bill has passed out of the House Education and Workforce Committee by a 19–15 vote.

The bill’s author, Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, claims the CHARLIE Act would put an end to “propaganda and subtle indoctrination.” In reality, it’s a censorship bill that would chill honest teaching about race, gender, civil rights and the full complexity of American history.

“Students deserve an honest education rooted in historical facts and constitutional principles, not government-approved propaganda crafted to satisfy Christian nationalist political interests,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “This bill does not protect educational integrity. It threatens it.”

HR 8705 incorporates language from President Trump’s executive orders. One of those orders rejects that gender identity can differ from sex assigned at birth and frames recognition of transgender people as “gender ideology extremism.”

The bill also adopts language targeting what the Trump administration calls “discriminatory equity ideology.” That vague language is designed to discourage or prohibit federally supported programs from discussing slavery, segregation, Jim Crow laws and other longstanding inequities woven throughout American history.

Public schools have a constitutional obligation to serve all students, including religious minorities, LGBTQ+ students and the growing number of students from nonreligious families. They must not privilege one religious or political viewpoint over others. Yet the CHARLIE Act uses vague and ideologically loaded language to discourage educators from discussing the lived experiences of marginalized Americans or the continuing effects of discrimination.

The bill also reflects the rhetoric of Christian nationalist organizations that have spent years attacking secular public education, inclusive curricula and LGBTQ+ students under the banner of “parental rights” or “anti-indoctrination.” But teaching students that America includes people of many races, religions, identities and beliefs is not indoctrination; censoring that reality is.

“A genuine civics education teaches students how our constitutional system actually works,” adds Gaylor. “This includes understanding that the Constitution is a secular document, that it prohibits religious tests for public office, and that constitutional rights have been expanded over time through the efforts of Americans who fought to make the nation live up to its founding ideals.”

Politicians should not be allowed to rewrite history by threatening school funding, asserts FFRF. A democracy depends on students learning the truth, not a sanitized version of the past.

FFRF urges Congress to reject HR 8705 and instead support history and civics education that promotes critical thinking, constitutional literacy and an honest understanding of America’s successes and failures. Students deserve facts, not politically motivated censorship.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with about 41,000 members and several chapters across the country. FFRF’s purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.

The post FFRF denounces federal CHARLIE Act censorship bill appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Red Pen Logic Called This Atheist Argument Incoherent… He Was Wrong

FFRF pushes for Ga. school district to remove unconstitutional ‘prayer box’

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is demanding that a middle school in Walton County School District (Monroe, Ga.) remove a box asking for students’ prayers.

A concerned district community member informed the state/church watchdog that Youth Middle School is sponsoring an on-campus prayer box located in the school’s media center on behalf of the First Baptist Church. A sign taped to the front of the box reads: “Prayer Request. How can we pray for you? Fill out a prayer request form and place it in this box.” The prayer requisition form asks for name, prayer request and email for follow-up.

FFRF is calling for the district to immediately remove the prayer box.

“The district has a constitutional duty to remain neutral toward religion,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence writes. 

FFRF points out that Youth Middle School may not encourage students, staff or anyone else to pray or request prayer by sponsoring a church prayer box on school property. By giving a church access to the school to promote prayer to students, Youth Middle School — and thus the school district — needlessly marginalizes those students and community members among the 38 percent of Americans who are non-Christian, including the 43 percent of Generation Z members who are nonreligious.

FFRF will be closely monitoring the situation in order to ensure that the First Amendment rights of students are not further violated.

“A public middle school is not a church and should not be recruiting students for churches,” FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor says. “A prayer box in a middle school not only violates the First Amendment, it tramples on parental control of their children’s religious practices, and is a gross invasion of student privacy.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with over 41,000 members across the country, including more than 600 members in Georgia. Its purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.

The post FFRF pushes for Ga. school district to remove unconstitutional ‘prayer box’ appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

New episode of ‘Secular Spotlight’ examines religious released time programs

The latest episode of the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s web series describes how to counter a religious group’s devouring of precious public school time.

FFRF’s Ryan Jayne, Sammy Lawrence and Mickey Dollens explore on “Secular Spotlight” a new toolkit that gives parents and community members the resources they need to push back against LifeWise Academy. This organization’s program takes public school students out of class for religious instruction, then sends them back to school to recruit others. Special guest FFRF Kentucky Chapter President John Sutton joins the discussion to explain how grassroots activists successfully stopped LifeWise from entering his community — and how others can follow their example.

“Lifewise’s motives are not about bringing kids into a program to give them, which of course it is, religious education,” Sutton explains. “Their higher motive is to recruit other kids out of the school.”

You can catch this episode of “Secular Spotlight” on FFRF’s YouTube channel, as well as by watching on your smart TV after downloading FFRF’s free app, Freethought TV, which also highlights FFRF’s other video programming. Our recent episodes include a deep dive into the rapidly expanding world of AI-generated religious content with special guest “The Antibot” Taylor Leigh and a news bite explaining a charter school victory in Colorado. Make sure you’re subscribed to FFRF’s YouTube channel for all the latest updates!

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With more than 41,000 members, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.

The post New episode of ‘Secular Spotlight’ examines religious released time programs appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Red Pen Logic Called This Atheist Argument Incoherent… He Was Wrong

A Connecticut law protects kids from abusive homeschooling parents. Republicans opposed it.

This newsletter is free and goes out to over 24,000 subscribers, but it’s only able to sustain itself due to the support I receive from a small percentage of regular readers. Would you please consider becoming one of those supporters? You can subscribe via Patreon or the Subscribe button below! You can also make one-time donations through Venmo or PayPal.

Subscribe now

Connecticut lawmakers recently passed a perfectly sensible bill to protect children who are homeschooled.

Naturally, Republicans are furious.

House Bill 5468 (now called Public Act No. 26-37) basically does two things: It requires all families to submit a form explaining how their kids will be educated (e.g. public school, private school, homeschooling, etc), and it says parents who want to homeschool their kids must not be “under investigation by the Department of Children and Families for an allegation of abuse or neglect.” If an adult in that home is under investigation, the approval for homeschooling will not be granted. (Students who are already being homeschooled will automatically be allowed to continue—or “grandfathered” in.)

It’s honestly the bare minimum a state should do to make sure students who are being homeschooled are in a safe environment. The same kind of background check, it must be said, also applies to public school teachers already.

That’s necessary given that there are documented situations where parents have removed their kids from public schools—and from any sort of adult oversight—only to abuse or neglect those children. (There was a disturbing case of that in Waterbury last year that inspired lawmakers to make these changes.) While most homeschooling parents have good intentions and aren’t abusive in any way, the question is whether there’s a way to protect kids in situations where they’re not in the presence of any other adults who are looking out for their best interests:

Sarah Eagan, executive director of the Center for Children’s Advocacy and the state’s former child advocate, said the issue is not homeschooling itself.

“The issue of concern in Connecticut, and what we know for a fact, is that there are families, and they’re not one-offs, that have used the pretense of homeschooling [and] the lack of any framework in our school districts to follow up, to hide their children from public view and abuse and neglect them. That is not a theory. It is not a possibility. It has happened over and over and over again,” Eagan said.

…

She referenced a report from the Office of the Child Advocate, where they did a random sample of several hundred children who were withdrawn from school under the stated purpose of homeschooling, and she said their findings proved to be concerning.

“More than 30% of those children had been chronically absent from school,” Eagan said. “About 8% of those children lived in families with multiple reports of child abuse or neglect, and most alarming, 30 of those children in the random sample were in homes where caregivers are on the central registry for child abuse or neglect.”

The fact is that once Connecticut parents say they’re homeschooling their kids, there’s no way for the government to check up on them… unless there’s a formal report of suspicion of abuse or neglect. If those kids are shielded from view, though, how would anyone know there’s reason to be concerned? This new law simply requires a background check on the parents. It doesn’t prevent abuse, but it could make sure the worst case scenarios are avoided.

So why are conservatives so upset about this? Why did every Republican vote against this bill at every stage?

Why did one right-wing commentator call it “Orwellian”? Why did a hate-group leader say it was an example of “the Left’s total disregard for the rights, responsibility, and authority that God has given to parents”? Why did one Republican lawmaker claim this bill would “destroy your way of life”? Why did the Wall Street Journal opinion page title an essay “Connecticut Goes After Homeschoolers”?

Because they see any kind of regulation on homeschooling as an attack on their religious freedom. Or their own freedom. Or the start of a slippery slope that takes away their right to miseducate their children through religious indoctrination if they so choose.

The CT Homeschool Network, which describes itself as a watchdog for homeschool freedom and privacy, called the legislation “wholly irresponsible” in a statement and argued homeschooling families are being used as “the scapegoat” for failures within DCF.

…

Sen. Rob Sampson (R) delivered a powerful closing statement: “Parents are not subjects—they are citizens—and they do not need the permission of this state government or anyone in this room to educate their own children.”

Such a broad attack on parental rights is blatantly unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed the primacy of parents over the state when it comes to child-rearing decisions. If the proposal becomes law, parents should challenge it in court, where it deserves to be struck down.

These are ridiculous arguments, of course, because the bill isn’t targeting homeschoolers so much as it’s giving homeschooled kids a layer of protection that’s already available to the ones who attend public school. Nor is this bill preventing parents from homeschooling their kids. Nor is it treating every homeschooling parent “as a potential threat simply because some parents do wrong.”

At public schools, teachers and social workers are mandated reporters who can see if a child comes to school bruised or tells them they’re not being fed or are being abused. It doesn’t mean kids can’t slip through the cracks but there’s at least a system in place to help those they can catch. That system disappears when kids are homeschooled without oversight.

At this point, though, it’s not surprising that the same conservatives who have turned a blind eye to the Epstein Files and Donald Trump’s involvement in that scandal aren’t interested in making sure children are safe.

Just look at how Jim Mason, the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), argued against the bill back in April:

Connecticut lawmakers are considering a bill that would subject every family to a background check by the Department of Children and Families before beginning to homeschool.

Not after evidence of abuse. Not in response to a specific concern. But as a condition of carrying out a basic responsibility of parenthood—in this case choosing the best education method for your child. In effect, the state must clear you before you may begin to teach your own child.

The problem with his logic is that, if kids are shielded from the public, no one will see any evidence of abuse. No one can raise any specific concerns. Instead of supporting basic minimal oversight that would actually make it easier for homeschooling to be defined by decent parents, groups like HSLDA want to make it easier for abusers to get away with anything they want.

You can’t say “every case of child abuse is devastating and morally urgent,” as Mason does, while opposing legislation designed to prevent that abuse.

Mason also claims this law is in response to “the rare but real examples of abuse” but unfairly applies to everyone. But that’s how laws work! Some people drive recklessly, and that’s why we have traffic laws that apply to all drivers. To the argument that the law is “treating every parent as a potential criminal rather than respecting the presumption of innocence,” yes, that’s also how laws work! When I’m driving on the highway, a cop might be pointing a radar gun in my direction. Is it because I’m breaking the law? No! It’s because all drivers must, by definition, be treated as if they’re “potential criminals”; that’s not a problem unless you’re breaking the law.

It’s not like Mason is offering any solution that would weed out abusive parents—because, ultimately, he doesn’t give a shit if kids are abused as long as there are no regulations on homeschooling whatsoever. He’s willing to sacrifice kids in exchange for no regulations.

Mason also says students in public schools have been abused, too.

If lawmakers truly believed this level of government monitoring was necessary to protect children, they would apply the same standard to every family in Connecticut, including those with children in public schools, where abuse by teachers and staff has occurred for decades. They do not, because such sweeping surveillance would rightly be viewed as an outrageous violation of parental rights and personal liberty.

That’s bullshit. The reason we know about those stories is because there’s oversight. No one’s saying public schools are perfect. A teacher can pass a background check and still be abusive. But at least those people who commit a crime are caught and prevented from teaching again. The same can’t be said of parents who hide their kids away from public view.

It doesn’t matter how many stories there are about homeschooling-gone-wrong because groups like this are hell-bent on staying off the grid as much as possible, falsely believing that any kind of government intervention is inherently evil.

This is not new. Republican lawmakers are beholden to their Christian base and lobbying groups like HSLDA which put “parents’ rights” over the well-being of children.

Keep in mind we’re not even talking about the merits (or lack thereof) of homeschooling itself. That’s irrelevant to this story, but we’ve seen a similar response on that front, too. The Christian homeschooling advocates are unbothered and unmoved by stories from formerly homeschooled kids who say they weren’t prepared for life outside their home—and that their peers from public schools were leaps and bounds ahead of them, academically and emotionally, when they met them in college.

Homeschooling can work. There are religious and secular parents who do it very well. But there’s no way to tell if it’s working unless there’s a system in place to verify it. We’ve seen religious communities fail at this time and time again. By opposing any and all forms of regulation, groups like HSLDA have allowed abusive behavior, both physical and educational, to remain hidden from public view. It’s grossly irresponsible.

Thank goodness Democrats in Connecticut were willing to do something about it, because Republicans never will.

(Portions of this article were published earlier)

Nonreligious people are the largest spiritual group in the US. Why don’t we hear more about them?

LGBTQ Nation
By Daniel Villarreal

The post Nonreligious people are the largest spiritual group in the US. Why don’t we hear more about them? appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

FFRF’s ‘Secular Spotlight’ explores the weird world of AI-generated religion

The latest episode of the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s “Secular Spotlight”  dives into the rapidly expanding world of AI-generated religious content.

FFRF Legal Counsel Chris Line and IT Director Scott Knickelbine welcome Taylor Leigh, known on YouTube as “The Antibot,” to discuss how — from AI Jesus chatbots to fake Christian influencers and political propaganda — artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to spread religious messaging and attract followers online. Leigh walks our hosts through the strange and rapidly growing intersection of religion and AI. The conversation examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping faith, online culture, misinformation and human connection. 

“Why something like ‘Text with Jesus’ has such a good ranking and so many people are downloading it, has to do with the fact that we live in a world that’s increasingly isolated, and when we’re talking about religious folks, religious attendance in the last two decades has declined pretty sharply,” Leigh says. “I think half of religious Americans actually attend church in person on a semi-regular basis, and so I think that there is this connection that a lot of people are longing for and they’re no longer getting it in church.”

You can catch this episode of “Secular Spotlight” on FFRF’s YouTube channel, as well as by watching on your smart TV after downloading FFRF’s free app, Freethought TV, which also highlights FFRF’s other video programming. Our recent episodes include a news bite explaining a charter school victory in Colorado and another one answering viewer questions on Ask An Atheist Day. Make sure you’re subscribed to FFRF’s YouTube channel for all the latest updates!

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With more than 41,000 members, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.

The post FFRF’s ‘Secular Spotlight’ explores the weird world of AI-generated religion appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

June 28, 2026 – To Begin the World Over Again: The Life of Thomas Paine (Los Angeles)

Sunday, June 28, 2026

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Los Angeles Central Library

Mark Taper Auditorium
630 W 5th St
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Thomas Paine’s ideas changed the world, and his words sparked a revolution. As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, join us for a theatrical production sharing the story of one of history’s most misunderstood men. Written by and starring Ian Ruskin.

Admission is free. Tickets are not required but encouraged. Reserve your free ticket at Eventbrite.

For ADA accommodations, call (213) 228-7430 at least 72 hours prior to the event.
Para ajustes razonables según la ley de ADA, llama al (213) 228-7430 al menos 72 horas antes del evento.

The post June 28, 2026 – To Begin the World Over Again: The Life of Thomas Paine (Los Angeles) appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

La. school system heeds FFRF call to ban the Gideons

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has successfully advised a Louisiana school district to bar a religious organization from handing out bibles to its students.

A concerned family member informed the state/church watchdog that on Sept. 26 of last year, Herndon Magnet School (located in Belcher, La.) permitted Gideons International to address students and distribute bibles to youngsters on school grounds during the school day. Gideons International is “an evangelical association that equips and mobilizes Christian business and professional men, along with their wives, to share God’s word, winning others for Jesus worldwide.” Herndon Magnet School’s official Facebook page stated (image above): “We were so thankful to be visited by the Gideon Ministry this morning! They spoke with our 5th graders and offered each student the opportunity to receive a Youth New Testament Bible.” (The post no longer appears on the Herndon Magnet School Facebook page.)
School-sponsored bible distributions are unconstitutional, FFRF reminded the school district.

“It is inappropriate and unconstitutional for Caddo Parish Public Schools to allow outside groups to distribute religious materials to students,” FFRF Legal Fellow Charlotte Gude wrote to Caddo Parish Public Schools Superintendent Keith S. Burton. “By allowing Gideons International to distribute bibles to students, Caddo Parish Public Schools displays blatant favoritism for religion over nonreligion and Christianity above all other faiths. Further, it appears that the school itself hosted and promoted the bible distribution. When school staff encourages young students to take bibles, they run the risk of unconstitutionally coercing students to take, read and reflect upon religious literature.”

Further, FFRF pointed out, this bible distribution and social media promotion needlessly marginalized all students and families who do not practice Christianity. As much as 38 percent of the American population is non-Christian, including the almost 30 percent who are nonreligious. More than half of Generation Z members (those born after 1996) are non-Christian, including the 43 percent who are nonreligious.

FFRF urged that to respect the constitutional rights of students and parents, Caddo Parish Public Schools must cease allowing the Gideons International and any other organizations to distribute bibles or other religious literature to students. Its call did not go unheeded.

“Please be advised that the staff at Herndon Magnet School has been advised to not allow the Gideons to distribute bibles during the school day at school,” the general counsel for the Caddo Parish School Board recently replied in an email.

FFRF is pleased that its appeal to follow the Constitution fell on receptive ears.

“Religious groups and individuals should not be given access to a captive audience of vulnerable young children,” comments FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “Religious instruction belongs with parents, not strangers exploiting our public schools. We’re glad officials realized the impropriety of this when we raised concerns.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with over 41,000 members across the country, including more than 100 members in Louisiana. Its purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism. 

The post La. school system heeds FFRF call to ban the Gideons appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.