Freedom Updates
Advocates in Action
Triumph: School Board Approves Parental Rights!
Last week, following a fiercely debated school board meeting, the Chino Valley Unified School District voted to approve the Parental Rights Policy, effectively reintegrating parents into discussions concerning critical aspects of students’ lives. When the state tried to replace the parents – parents, concerned citizens, and organizations like ours stood up to take the reins back from Sacramento raising our kids. We submitted into public record a letter stating our support of this policy (click below). This policy will require school officials to notify parents if their child has encountered any significant physical injury, expressed suicidal intent, or is requesting to be identified or treated as a gender that does not align with the sex on the student’s birth certificate.
We are immensely grateful for your unwavering support, as it allows us to persist in our advocacy for faith and freedom, including the protection of children and parental rights. Your prayers and support are deeply appreciated!
Press Release | Maine Church Sues School District After Discriminatory Leasing Process
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, May 25, 2023
CONTACT: nicole velasco @
media@faith-freedom.COM
Murrieta, CA – On Tuesday, a lawsuit was filed by Advocates for Faith and Freedom on behalf of The Pines Church challenging the Hermon School Committee for their inflammatory and discriminatory leasing processes that unfairly scrutinized church activity. The Hermon School Committee in the past has leased their properties to secular organizations and did not scrutinize their beliefs on sensitive religious and political topics.
The Pines Church was unfairly targeted because it was a church, and the Committee did not want to associate with them. Their beliefs in traditional Christian ideologies opened the door for the Hermon School Committee to discriminate against them by inquiring about their beliefs on sensitive cultural issues like gender identity, issues that bear no relationship to whether the church qualified for a lease. Their conduct violates the First Amendment, as well as Maine’s Public Accommodation Laws.
“Public institutions that seek to lease their facilities for revenue should not be able to discriminate based on religious or political conditions,” said Mariah Gondeiro, Legal Counsel and Vice President for Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “The Hermon School Committee has a history of leasing their properties to secular organizations without persecution. We are advocating for fair and equitable treatment under the law, and The Pines Church was denied that opportunity by the Hermon School Committee.”
“We are understandably disappointed with the process in which we had to go through, but we are not discouraged,” said Pastor Matt Gioia. “We have seen the Lord move through our church and grow our community so much since our founding. We are hopeful that we will be able to continue our worship and fellowship without discrimination.”
Church Victory: Peaceable Gathering Restored!
After a nearly two and a half year legal battle challenging the City of La Habra Heights’ discriminatory application of its noise ordinance against Word Aflame Tabernacle, Inc, Advocates for Faith & Freedom has secured a settlement with the City of La Habra Heights on behalf of Word Aflame. As part of the settlement, the City of La Habra Heights will pay a total of $200,000.00 and consistent with applicable law, including the United States Constitution, the City agrees to “enforce the La Habra Heights Municipal Code in a uniform and non-discriminatory manner.”
This settlement follows an earlier $140,000.00 settlement with the State and Los Angeles County defendants in the same matter. “While no monetary amount will ever repay Word Aflame for the challenges they faced while gathering to worship due to the City’s discriminatory actions, we are happy to see some vindication on behalf of Word Aflame’s religious rights and are hopeful the City will follow the law and not target places of worship moving forward,” commented Julianne Fleischer, Legal Counsel at Advocates for Faith & Freedom.
Thank you for your unwavering prayers and support! Your partnership enables these victories!
For the Lord your God is going with you!
He will fight for you against your enemies,
and he will give you victory!
Deuteronomy 20:4
