Christian Schools Given Unequal Treatment

[Harry Mathews]

Protect churches and religious schools this #GivingTuesday—$25,000 matching grant!

For months, Oregon officials told Hermiston Christian School that it could reopen this fall if it abided by COVID-19 health guidelines. In good faith, the school spent money to prepare for its fall reopening in compliance with those guidelines. It reassured parents that the school would reopen, and it retained its teachers and staff. Then government officials moved the goalposts. Now, Hermiston and other small private schools cannot provide in-person religious instruction until the entire county hits certain health metrics, even though childcare facilities can provide in-person, full-day childcare to the very same children. But here’s the kicker, Government officials even carved out a special exemption for small public schools. Any public school with fewer than 75 students was free to resume in-person classes. Meanwhile Hermiston was barred from reopening with just 51 students. In fact, if Hermiston resumes in-person classes, school officials could face criminal penalties—30 days jail time and $1,250 fines—even if it follows the necessary health and safety protocols! In America, the government can’t treat people of faith as second-class citizens. The First Amendment makes that clear. But Oregon officials have abused the law to target private schools. It’s threatening school officials with imprisonment and fines if they don’t comply. And it’s discriminating against parents who choose to provide a religious education for their children! That’s why Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Hermiston Christian School.

A $25,000 matching grant DOUBLES your tax-deductible #GivingTuesday... #GivingTuesday is just one week away. And Alliance Defending Freedom is trusting God for $150,000 this year to help protect churches, ministries, and religious schools. Giving Tuesday is a chance for people like you to come together on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving to financially support causes you are passionate about. We know you have a lot of wonderful places where you can exercise your generosity this year, and we hope you do! But we also hope to encourage you to make a gift to help stop government officials from discriminating against people of faith. Ever since the restrictions due to COVID-19 began, Alliance Defending Freedom has assisted, or equipped others to assist, thousands of churches, ministries, and religious schools like Hermiston. While many state and local governments have adopted appropriate COVID-19 regulations designed to protect the health and safety of members of their communities, some officials continue to abuse their power to bully people of faith and threaten the free exercise of religion. This must stop. And COVID-19 is just a small part of the problem. The more the government reaches its hand into the affairs of the Church, the more at risk your religious freedom becomes. We continue to see incidents of government trying to control what churches teach, where they worship, and how they exercise their religious freedom. We continue to see government officials discriminate against families that choose a private, religious education for their children. And we continue to see religious ministries targeted for operating according to their beliefs. That’s why your #GivingTuesday gift to defend and protect your brot... Your generous #GivingTuesday gift allows us to continue to defend your freedom in the courtroom on behalf of churches, ministries, and religious schools. And it shows government officials that people of faith will not sit back and allow their God-given freedoms to be taken away. The best part is a generous family has given a $25,000 matching grant to DOUBLE your tax-deductible gift today (until the match is met)! But we only have one week to make the most of this new match and meet our $150,000 goal. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1. So please don’t wait. With so many other possibilities this #GivingTuesday, please consider a tax-deductible gift to help defend churches, ministries, and religious schools. Your gift of $20, $50, $100, or more will make a lasting difference in protecting your God-given and constitutionally protected freedoms. Because what affects the Church, affects YOU and your family. Thank you for giving generously.