A federal appeals court this week ruled that a California public school board violated the rights of its students by opening public meetings with Christian prayers and by proselytizing during the meetings. AU and allies filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of 22 community members of the Chino Valley Unified School District who challenged the board’s prayer practice.

Americans United on May 29 urged a federal appeals court to affirm a preliminary injunction that blocks the Trump administration’s rules that would allow employers and universities to cite religious or moral objections as justification to deny employees and students insurance coverage for contraceptives.

“The Trump administration’s new rules have two major problems: They hurt women and they misuse religious freedom in the process,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of AU. “Religious freedom laws should protect people, not harm them. These rules cannot be squared with the Constitution or our core values.”