April Newsletter
For parents unable to enroll their children into private school or unavailable to home-school their kids, public schools need to reopen. But, before teachers’ unions will even consider allowing their teachers to come back into the classroom, these powerful, self-serving public unions demanded Congress pass the $1.9 trillion bill which includes $130 billion for schools. Despite the fact that, according to the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, between $53 and $63 billion in funding to re-open schools in last year’s COVID spending bills remain unspent!
Not to be outdone, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) condemned California Governor Newsom’s school reopening plan, saying it pressures teachers to return to schools “under unsafe conditions.” UTLA will only agree to reopening when all school staff are fully vaccinated or given access to a vaccine and acceptable safety measures have been implemented.
It comes as no surprise to those who currently have, or have had school-age children, that the year-long shutdown of schools due to unfounded Covid fear relating to children under 18 – has resulted in the most devastating setback and in some cases reversal of student learning in American history. Some psychiatrists are also defining the cruel illegalization of necessary socialization as child abuse.
For decades, we have witnessed the teacher’s unions unlimited control over politicians, influencing anti-Christian social policies and legislation that guarantees to grow union membership dollars and thereby union coffers. But as unions enhance their power, the quality of public education declines and conditions in the classroom deteriorate.
In 2018, the U. S. Supreme Court in Janus v. AFSCME held that states and unions can no longer force public employees to finance union speech.. Since then, many Christian teachers have exercised their First Amendment rights and tried to opt of union membership. Unfortunately, some teachers’ unions have strenuously resisted. That is when Advocates for Faith & Freedom jumped in to assist them navigate the process.
Teachers unions are not the only public-sector union that are attempting to force its employees to remain members of a union and financially subsidize political activity.
Advocates for Faith & Freedom is also representing more than 20 California Lifeguards who have been forced to remain in their union and pay union dues for four years, unless they quit their jobs, pursuant to an unconstitutional collective bargaining agreement.
Additionally, we have a case against the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) where our plaintiff alleges that her employee union forged her membership application and then directed the California State Controller to siphon dues from her wages.
While the state continues to illegally deduct dues from our clients’ paychecks without consent, our lawsuits are demanding an injunction halting these schemes in addition to the return of all illegally withheld dues.
These days have tested our collective faith in our leaders, in the durability of the American republic, and even in our fellow man. The Bible provides perspective, as it always does. In Romans, the Apostle Paul writes “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Likewise, in his epistle, James encourages readers to consider trials “pure joy,” for “the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
These inspired words do not minimize the difficulty of our trials. But they do call upon us not to suffer without hope. I hope you will consider giving a gift to help support these cases, and please pray for our courageous clients during these challenging times – let us remember to count it all joy.
Case Updates
Calvary Chapel San Jose: Since Santa Clara County sued Pastor Mike McClure and his church for defying their arbitrary COVID-19 public health orders, Pastor Mike McClure and his church have been fined almost $3 million! That's over 100 times the penalties any other County has charged. The evidence we bring to our June hearing will determine the constitutionality of the underlying public health orders and the County's treatment of our client.
Calvary Chapel Godspeak/Pastor Rob McCoy: This month the Ventura County Board of Supervisors announced publicly that the County will dismiss the lawsuit they filed against Godspeak Calvary Chapel! We will continue to prosecute our cross-complaint against the County and the State and will force them to provide the real justification behind the infringement on the religious liberty of thousands of people.
Lifeguards sue the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) to stop union bullying tactics: We are representing 21 lifeguards who are suing their CSLEA. CSLEA conscripted the lifeguards into joining the union, denied them the right to vote, and now are locking them into four years of paying union dues. The case is currently in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. We are also representing a homecare provider whose membership card was forged in 2015 by her union, the SEIU. We are seeking damages against the Union for their callous and fraudulent conduct. This case is also in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Domen Vs. Vimeo: This video sharing company removed Jim Domen’s Church United videos just because they didn’t agree with his message as a former homosexual saved by Jesus Christ, so we sued them based on sexual orientation and religious discrimination, and we are awaiting the judge’s decision. This instrumental case against Big Tech could end up in the U.S. Supreme Court where the outcome could affect Section 230, of the Communications Decency Act – the law that currently gives social medial complete immunity to discriminate against all of us – which many of us are seeing with our Facebook and Twitter accounts being censored or deleted altogether.
Doctors under fire: Dr. Steven LaTulippe called us for help when his medical license was suspended after he spoke against healthy people being forced to wear masks at a “Stop the Steal” rally in his home state of Oregon. We have filed a lawsuit in Oregon Federal Court claiming the Oregon Medical Board violated our client's free speech and due process rights.
Vaccine Passports: We will be bringing a legal challenge - in conjunction with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s organization, Children’s Health Defense – to the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Daily Pass program and other mandatory protocols. The Daily Pass is a tracking application that will required of all students and staff and will display private health information including vaccination status and results from mandated PCR testing. Receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine, submission to routine PCR testing, and the Daily Pass will all be required for return to in-person learning in the District.
Calvary Chapel Ukiah and Fort Bragg/River of Life Church: We sued the State and related counties based on the unconstitutional ban of singing worship in church. ACLJ joined us in filing this lawsuit. As expected, the state ruled against us, but the current U.S. Supreme Court rulings against the State have given us confidence in the success of our appeal.