Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
World Vision Launches 'I'm Wearing the 10 for Children,' a Regional Mobilisation for Child Protection
MONROVIA, California, June 6 -- World Vision International issued the following news release:
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World Vision Launches "I'm Wearing the 10 for Children," a Regional Mobilisation for Child Protection
World Vision has officially launched "I'm Wearing the 10 for Children," its new regional campaign designed to advance the well-being and comprehensive protection of girls, boys, and adolescents across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Using football as a universal language that unites the region, the initiative seeks to mobilise society to move beyond being spectators and become active leaders
... Show Full Article
MONROVIA, California, June 6 -- World Vision International issued the following news release:
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World Vision Launches "I'm Wearing the 10 for Children," a Regional Mobilisation for Child Protection
World Vision has officially launched "I'm Wearing the 10 for Children," its new regional campaign designed to advance the well-being and comprehensive protection of girls, boys, and adolescents across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Using football as a universal language that unites the region, the initiative seeks to mobilise society to move beyond being spectators and become active leadersfor children's rights. For while the entire world comes together around football, millions of girls and boys across Latin America and the Caribbean continue to face violence, hunger, displacement, and a lack of opportunity.
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy organisation with more than 75 years of experience and a presence in over 100 countries. During fiscal year 2025, its work in Latin America and the Caribbean reached more than 47.6 million people through integrated development programs and advocacy efforts, with a direct impact on nearly 11 million girls and boys across 16 countries in the region.
The organisation mobilised more than USD 213 million through its regional investment portfolio, spanning integrated development, humanitarian response, child protection, resilience, livelihoods, education, water and sanitation, and climate adaptation initiatives.
With this campaign, World Vision draws on the symbolism of the number "10", the leader who reads the play before anyone else and guides the team to victory, to represent the organisation's unwavering commitment to children. This strategy unites all 15 of World Vision's national offices across the region under a single cause and a shared jersey. Today, children need more than spectators: they need people ready to play on the same team for their protection and well-being.
The initiative is built on three core pillars designed to create tangible impact in the most vulnerable communities:
* Sponsorship: Providing direct development opportunities for thousands of girls and boys. In FY25, World Vision's sponsorship model reached 423,962 children across 12 countries in the region, including more than 352,000 sponsored children.
* Advocacy: Amplifying children's voices to shape local and national protection policies. Regional advocacy initiatives contributed to potential benefits for more than 36.6 million children and adolescents.
* Emergency Response: Strengthening rapid humanitarian response capacity in hard-to-reach areas. In FY25, World Vision reached more than 841,000 people through humanitarian emergency responses, including over 456,000 girls and boys.
"At World Vision, we believe every girl and boy deserves to grow up in a safe environment, with real opportunities to reach their full potential. 'I'm Wearing the 10 for Children' is an invitation to the entire region to act, to be the star player who makes the decisive pass in the life of a child who needs it most," said Joao Diniz, World Vision Regional Leader.
Through the hashtag #ImWearingThe10ForChildren, citizens, donors, and partners are invited to join the "starting lineup." The digital mobilisation will feature skill challenges, testimonials from local community leaders, including Jeremias in Colombia, Jimena in Peru, and Celia in El Salvador and content led by children themselves, all with the goal of turning solidarity into a viral movement.
Every contribution is seen as the "decisive pass" that changes the future of girls and boys, enabling the expansion of services for participants in food security and protection programs. World Vision therefore invites the entire region to wear the 10 for children and to join this mobilisation by sharing, donating, and raising their voice for the rights of children everywhere.
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Original text here: https://www.wvi.org/newsroom/world-vision-launches-im-wearing-10-children-regional-mobilisation-child-protection
[Category: Sociological]
Human Rights Watch: Indonesia - Flurry of Shoot-on-Sight Orders Risks Lives
NEW YORK, June 6 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
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Indonesia: Flurry of Shoot-on-Sight Orders Risks Lives
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(Jakarta) - Indonesian authorities should immediately rescind new policies to counter street crime that would result in the unlawful use of force by security personnel, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should strictly limit the military's role in law enforcement and adopt and enforce long promised reforms to the National Police Law to end police brutality and create a professional and humane police force.
These policies have
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, June 6 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
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Indonesia: Flurry of Shoot-on-Sight Orders Risks Lives
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(Jakarta) - Indonesian authorities should immediately rescind new policies to counter street crime that would result in the unlawful use of force by security personnel, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should strictly limit the military's role in law enforcement and adopt and enforce long promised reforms to the National Police Law to end police brutality and create a professional and humane police force.
These policies haveraised concerns that Indonesian police will respond to robberies by motorcycle assailants - known as begal attackers - with excessive force, in violation of international human rights standards. On May 15, 2026, the police and military in Jakarta formed a joint task force to patrol to prevent robberies. In several areas including Makassar, South Sulawesi province; Lampung province on Sumatra island; and Bekasi in West Java province, the police have been ordered to shoot suspected robbers on sight.
"Indonesian leaders need to loudly and forcefully denounce any shoot-on-sight orders or other proposed excessive use of force," said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Lawmakers should promptly enact substantial reforms to police procedures that include proper oversight and accountability for any use of force."
Since the government crackdown began, security forces have arrested hundreds of people, shot and killed two suspects each in Lampung and Binjai City, North Sumatra, and injured at least 50. Prabowo Pamungkas, director of the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) in Bandar Lampung, said that since Lampung province's shoot-on-sight policy was announced, "[r]epressive practices appear to be intensifying."
Indonesian authorities expanded security operations after a series of muggings in Jakarta, including attacks targeting foreign tourists. Police Brigadier Arya Supena was shot and killed when he intervened to prevent the theft of a motorcycle in Bandar Lampung on May 9. Two men stole a motorcycle and stabbed a high school student in Binjai City on May 11. Residents have called for tighter patrols in crime-prone areas, better street lighting, and wider CCTV coverage.
Nova Eka Putri, 33, who has been campaigning against street violence through her influential social media handle Kak Shee, said such attacks can have lasting impact on victims. She told Human Rights Watch she still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after being violently attacked and robbed in 2014: "I often break down in tears without warning, and I am now afraid to leave the house at night."
Widespread demonstrations in August 2025, primarily over economic inequality, took place in over 100 cities and towns throughout the country. Young protesters sought a number of short-term and long-term government reforms, including of police procedures. In response, the government in November created the Commission for the Acceleration of Police Reform. Mahfud MD one of the commissioners, criticized the police for committing abuses similar to those of the military. The commission recommended strengthening the National Police Commission to ensure accountability, which President Prabowo Subianto approved. However, activists have criticized proposed revisions to the police law, contending that they would lead to more political interference in law enforcement.
The use of military personnel for law enforcement duties is of particular concern, Human Rights Watch said. The Prabowo government amended the National Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI) Act, Law No. 34/2004, in March 2025, to enable active-duty military personnel to take civilian posts, including in the justice system and state-owned companies. Many people protested this amendment, saying that it is similar to the revival of dwi fungsi, the military's "dual function," which was central to the authoritarian military rule of President Soeharto from 1965 to 1998.
The government has been deploying military personnel against alleged robbers, raising human rights concerns, Human Rights Watch said. The head of the Army Information Service said that the army's involvement in handling robbery cases is part of a legitimate military operation that includes joint patrols and public education on preventing street crime. Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has said that the government will create 750 Territorial Infantry Battalions in 518 regencies and cities across Indonesia, because "crime rates rise sharply in areas without TNI [army] troops."
However, Indonesia's army was responsible for an estimated 10,000 extrajudicial killings in the 1982-1985 Mystery Shootings (Penembakan Misterius, Petrus). In 2018, the p olice shot and killed at least 15 suspected criminals allegedly to ensure safety during the Asian Games in Jakarta.
The Indonesian authorities should ensure that any use of force in law enforcement situations is in accordance the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. The principles provide that law enforcement officers, including military personnel, should use nonviolent means before resorting to the use of force, and that force and firearms may be used only if other means remain ineffective.
Whenever the lawful use of force and firearms is unavoidable, law enforcement officials are required to exercise restraint and to act in proportion to the seriousness of the offense and the legitimate objective to be achieved. Intentional lethal use of firearms is permitted only when it is strictly unavoidable to protect life.
The authorities have an obligation to impartially investigate and discipline or prosecute law enforcement officers who use unnecessary or excessive force, Human Rights Watch said.
"The Indonesian government has responsibilities to ensure public safety, but that includes presumption of innocence, due process, and the rule of law," Ganguly said. "The government should not be deploying the military in civilian law enforcement and instead should support the police in conducting lawful investigations and appropriately prosecuting those responsible."
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Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/06/04/indonesia-flurry-of-shoot-on-sight-orders-risks-lives
CodePink: 'Free Dr. Hasan Abu Safiya' Billboard Message Welcomes AMA Conference Attendees in Chicago
LOS ANGELES, California, June 6 -- CodePink, a grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end U.S.-funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, posted the following news release on June 5, 2026:
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"Free Dr. Hasan Abu Safiya" Billboard Message Welcomes AMA Conference Attendees in Chicago
The action comes as Israel has moved the kidnapped and tortured doctor to solitary confinement.
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CHICAGO - CODEPINK brought its AMA campaign front and center to AMA members attending the annual conference in Chicago. While attendees entered the first day of the conference,
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, June 6 -- CodePink, a grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end U.S.-funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, posted the following news release on June 5, 2026:
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"Free Dr. Hasan Abu Safiya" Billboard Message Welcomes AMA Conference Attendees in Chicago
The action comes as Israel has moved the kidnapped and tortured doctor to solitary confinement.
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CHICAGO - CODEPINK brought its AMA campaign front and center to AMA members attending the annual conference in Chicago. While attendees entered the first day of the conference,they were welcomed with a billboard truck listing off all the war crimes Israel has committed against healthcare professionals with the backing and support of the United States. Today's action comes just one day after it was reported that Dr. Safiya was moved from a Negev detention centre to solitary confinement in Nafha prison.
Some billboard messages included:
* Israel has Illegally Detained 446 Palestinian Healthcare Workers Since October 2023
* Israel has Killed 1571 Palestinian Healthcare Workers Since October 2023
* Free Dr. Hasan Abu Safiya! Kidnapped and Imprisoned by the Israeli Occupation Since December 2024.
* From the US to Palestine: Medicine is not a crime. \
CODEPINK's AMA campaign is directed at the American Medical Association's CEO and Board of Trustees, asking them to speak out against the genocide in Gaza and the war crimes committed by Israel against medical professionals - with direct material support from the United States, including the kidnapping and ongoing detention and torture of Dr. Hasan Abu Safiya.
The AMA has leverage nationally and internationally and should use that leverage to publicly condemn the U.S. and Israel's continuous targeting and killing of medical professionals and medical structures in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. Dr. Abu Safiya is but one example. Thousands of paramedics, nurses, and other doctors have been killed in Israel's numerous attacks on hospitals and medical centers.
In 2022, the AMA released statements condemning Russia's attacks on healthcare professionals and the targeting of civilians in Russia's war on Ukraine. However, in the nearly three years since the genocide in Gaza began, the organization has not once said anything about the same crimes committed by Israel with funding from U.S. tax dollars.
The AMA's stated mission is to "promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health." To truly achieve this, one must fight for every physician and every hospital. The campaign is asking the AMA to call for the release of Dr. Abu Safiya and all detained healthcare workers, urge U.S. and Israeli action on his status, demand access to medical care and humanitarian aid for Gaza, push to lift U.S. visa restrictions for patients, and condemn the destruction of healthcare systems from Gaza to Iran.
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Original text here: https://www.codepink.org/amabillboardpost
[Category: Sociological]
CDW Urges Congress to Clear the NLRB's Abruzzo-Era Backlog, Confirm Board Nominees
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Coalition for a Democratic Workforce issued the following news release:
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CDW Urges Congress to Clear the NLRB's Abruzzo-Era Backlog, Confirm Board Nominees
On June 4, the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) sent a letter to the House Education & Workforce Committee's Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions for its hearing, "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the NLRB." Drawing on an analysis from LRI Consulting Services of 190,743 unfair labor practice charges filed from 2016 to 2026, the letter documents how the enforcement and policy
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Coalition for a Democratic Workforce issued the following news release:
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CDW Urges Congress to Clear the NLRB's Abruzzo-Era Backlog, Confirm Board Nominees
On June 4, the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) sent a letter to the House Education & Workforce Committee's Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions for its hearing, "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the NLRB." Drawing on an analysis from LRI Consulting Services of 190,743 unfair labor practice charges filed from 2016 to 2026, the letter documents how the enforcement and policydecisions of former General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo and the former Board majority produced a historic case backlog that tripled the inventory of open employer charges, collapsed settlement rates, and drew repeated, pointed rebukes from federal appeals courts. CDW urged Congress to clear the backlog, confirm President Trump's Board nominees, and reverse the Abruzzo-era decisions that continue to burden employers and employees alike.
The following statement can be attributed to CDW Chair Kristen Swearingen:
"Jennifer Abruzzo and the former Board majority broke the NLRB. Their radical, ideologically driven agenda sowed confusion across the regulated community, was repeatedly discredited by federal courts of appeals, and left behind a historic backlog that delayed relief for employees and saddled employers, especially small businesses, with years of legal uncertainty and excessive litigation costs.
"General Counsel Crystal Carey has moved decisively to undo that damage, but the recovery she has begun cannot succeed without a fully functioning Board. We urge the Committee to use its oversight authority to help the agency clear the backlog, restore stability, and begin overturning the most legally untenable precedents of the Abruzzo era."
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INFODOC: https://myprivateballot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CDW-Letter_EW-Hearing_NLRB_June-4.pdf
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Original text here: https://myprivateballot.com/2026/06/04/cdw-urges-congress-to-clear-the-nlrbs-abruzzo-era-backlog-confirm-board-nominees/
[Category: Political]
CAIR Reiterates Demand for Release of Salah Sarsour From ICE Detention Following Reports of Medical Neglect
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on June 5, 2026:
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CAIR Reiterates Demand for Release of Salah Sarsour from ICE Detention Following Reports of Medical Neglect
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), today reiterated its call for the immediate release of Milwaukee Muslim community leader Salah Sarsour, who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in March, after reports indicate that his medical needs are being neglected and that his health is deteriorating while in detention.
According to attorneys
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on June 5, 2026:
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CAIR Reiterates Demand for Release of Salah Sarsour from ICE Detention Following Reports of Medical Neglect
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), today reiterated its call for the immediate release of Milwaukee Muslim community leader Salah Sarsour, who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in March, after reports indicate that his medical needs are being neglected and that his health is deteriorating while in detention.
According to attorneysrepresenting Sarsour, he has experienced worsening health conditions while being held in ICE custody and has allegedly been denied adequate medical care despite serious medical concerns.
SEE: Attorneys and family allege medical neglect in Salah Sarsour detention (https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2026/06/03/salah-sarsour-attorneys-allege-medical-neglect-detention-case/90393218007/) - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
SEE ALSO: Son of detained Islamic Society of Milwaukee president says father's health is being neglected in ICE custody (https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/in-your-community/milwaukee-county/son-of-detained-islamic-society-of-milwaukee-president-says-fathers-health-is-being-neglected-in-ice-custody) - TMJ4
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
"The reported neglect of Salah Sarsour's medical needs in ICE detention is deeply alarming and unacceptable. No one should be forced to suffer declining health while being unjustly held in immigration detention, especially a respected community leader who poses no threat to anyone. The Trump administration must immediately release Salah Sarsour and ensure that all individuals in immigration custody receive appropriate medical care and humane treatment."
He said Sarsour's continued detention raises serious concerns about due process, civil liberties, and the targeting of community leaders.
In April,CAIR joinedAmerican Muslims for Palestine (AMP), the Muslim American Society (MAS) and the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), at a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to demand Sarsour's immediate release.
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-reiterates-demand-for-release-of-salah-sarsour-from-ice-detention-following-reports-of-medical-neglect/
[Category: Sociological]
Americans for Tax Reform: James Settelmeyer Makes "No New Taxes" Promise to Nevada Voters
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on June 4, 2026, by Adam Radman:
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James Settelmeyer Makes "No New Taxes" Promise to Nevada Voters
Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) applauds James Settelmeyer for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a written commitment to the voters of Nevada to oppose and vote against income tax hikes.
Candidates often make campaign promises not to raise taxes, only to abandon taxpayers once elected. The Taxpayer Protection Pledge requires candidates to put their commitment in writing - making it harder to reverse course.
Settelmeyer's
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on June 4, 2026, by Adam Radman:
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James Settelmeyer Makes "No New Taxes" Promise to Nevada Voters
Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) applauds James Settelmeyer for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a written commitment to the voters of Nevada to oppose and vote against income tax hikes.
Candidates often make campaign promises not to raise taxes, only to abandon taxpayers once elected. The Taxpayer Protection Pledge requires candidates to put their commitment in writing - making it harder to reverse course.
Settelmeyer'sdecision to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge demonstrates his strong commitment to fiscal responsibility and pro-growth tax policies.
"I strongly applaud James Settelmeyer for taking a principled stand and signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. He has exhibited a true dedication to fiscal responsibility and pro-growth tax policy by making this commitment. This Pledge is a powerful symbol of his unwavering support for hardworking taxpayers and their right to keep more of their hard-earned money," said ATR President Grover Norquist.
Norquist continued, "With Settelmeyer's Pledge, we can trust that he will champion pro-growth policies, protect our economic freedom, and resist any attempts to burden Americans with even higher taxes."
Americans for Tax Reform created the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in 1985 to solidify candidates' commitments to taxpayers. President Reagan urged all candidates to sign the Pledge. He campaigned for and praised candidates who signed the Pledge. Today, over 1,400 elected officials and candidates on the federal and state levels are Taxpayer Protection Pledge signers.
There are currently 194 Pledge signers in the U.S. House and 43 Pledge signers in the U.S. Senate. 85% of Congressional Republicans have signed the Pledge and put their commitment to oppose tax increases into writing, contrasting with the ZERO congressional Democrats who have made this commitment.
Unfortunately, Democratic candidates for office do not share this commitment. They seek to reverse course and implement backwards tax-and-spend policies that would only stunt economic growth and take more money out of the hands of taxpayers.
New candidates sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge regularly. For the most up-to-date information on these races or any others, please visit the ATR Pledge Database (https://www.atr.org/pledge-database/).
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Original text here: https://atr.org/james-settelmeyer-makes-no-new-taxes-promise-to-nevada-voters/
[Category: Political]
Agudath Israel Asks Court to Uphold Religious School Autonomy
NEW YORK, June 6 -- Agudath Israel of America, an arm and voice of American Orthodox Jewry, issued the following news:
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Agudath Israel Asks Court to Uphold Religious School Autonomy
Agudath Israel of America, alongside a coalition of religious organizations, has filed an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief in a case that raises the question of whether a religious institution has the constitutional right, free from judicial interference, to decline to renew the contract of an employee who violated the institution's religious tenets. This has significant implications for the ability
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, June 6 -- Agudath Israel of America, an arm and voice of American Orthodox Jewry, issued the following news:
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Agudath Israel Asks Court to Uphold Religious School Autonomy
Agudath Israel of America, alongside a coalition of religious organizations, has filed an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief in a case that raises the question of whether a religious institution has the constitutional right, free from judicial interference, to decline to renew the contract of an employee who violated the institution's religious tenets. This has significant implications for the abilityof religious schools to operate in accordance with their faith and mission.
The case arose after a Catholic school in Minnesota declined to renew the contract of a school librarian after the employee announced plans to publicly act in a manner inconsistent with the school's religious principles. The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the school, holding that the First Amendment protects religious institutions from government interference in such matters. However, the employee appealed the ruling, and the case is now before the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Agudath Israel's brief explains the high stakes this case represents and the implications it would have for all religious schools. The submission asks the court to uphold the right to educate children in an environment consistent with one's religious values. It explains that religious schools do much more than merely provide classroom instruction, rather they transmit faith, values, and a way of life.
The brief goes on to explain that this mission depends on the ability of such schools to make employment decisions that reflect and protect their religious character: "Schools for Catholics, Jews, Protestants, and Muslims alike could not survive without the autonomy necessary to carry out their religious missions... If courts were to intrude on the employment decisions of religious schools for such personnel, religious schools would be faced with the ... choice of violating their religious convictions, or else shutting down entirely."
"Religious schools must be able to operate by the faith they teach," said Daniel Kaminetsky, General Counsel of Agudath Israel. "For yeshivos and other faith-based schools, the right to hire and retain employees who support the school's religious mission is essential to religious liberty. Courts should not undermine a religious school's understanding of its own beliefs or mission."
Agudath Israel of America thanks Haley Denler, Esq., Nicholas J. Nelson, Esq., Russell B. Balikian, Esq., Andrew G.I. Kilberg, Esq., Michael P. Corcoran, Esq., and Aly Cox, Esq. of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP for their work on the brief.
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Original text here: https://agudah.org/agudath-israel-asks-court-to-uphold-religious-school-autonomy
[Category: Religion]
