ADF to 7th Circuit: Protect employment decisions of faith-based schools

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch regarding a friend-of-the-court brief ADF attorneys filed Monday at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit in Garrick v. Moody Bible Institute in support of the legally and constitutionally protected freedom of religious institutions to make employment decisions in accordance with their beliefs:

“America is made up of a diverse religious landscape, and our laws protect the freedom of all Americans to practice according to their beliefs. This is true of both individuals and religious institutions. Title VII protects religious employers when they make hiring decisions that are in line with their faith, as the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed numerous times. In Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru, for example, the Supreme Court ruled that, when it comes to teachers, the government can’t interfere with the employment decisions of faith-based schools. The fact that the lawsuit filed against Moody Bible Institute stems from a difference of religious beliefs means that the government has no legitimate role here. We urge the court to uphold Supreme Court precedent and affirm the freedom of religious schools to make hiring decisions in accordance with their beliefs.”

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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