S6, Ep. 10: March Madness: Department of Education, school vouchers, and a Supreme Court preview

Actions and rumors of actions in Washington, D.C., are continuing to dominate the news cycle and keep people on edge. On this episode of Respecting Religion, Amanda and Holly discuss the devastation of dismantling the Department of Education and the problematic push for a nationwide school voucher program. They also look at the latest in the battle between faith communities and the Trump administration to protect sensitive locations from immigration raids, and they preview the three religious liberty cases on the Supreme Court’s docket this term.

 

SHOW NOTES

Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): Federal school vouchers, shutting down the Department of Education, and a potential new travel ban

Holly mentioned this story on the school voucher proposals by Laura Meckler for The Washington Post: GOP voucher plan would divert billions in taxes to private schools

If you want to contact your representatives in Washington about the trouble with school voucher programs, click here to use our convenient form to email them directly.

Amanda mentioned this story from Inside Higher Education about potential plans to shut down the Department of Education: Draft Order Offers Hints to How Trump Wants to Shut Down the Department

After we recorded this episode, the administration began gutting the Department of Education through layoffs instead of an executive order. Amanda released a statement calling it a “reckless move,” which you can read on our website. 

We also sent out an alert about the issue to the members of BJC’s email list, and it included a form they can use to contact their members of Congress about the problems with shutting down the Department of Education. Click here to use our convenient form to email your members directly about this issue.

Sign up for BJC’s email updates for immediate alerts when there are ways to take action: BJConline.org/subscribe

The New York Times previews the possible new travel ban in this article: Trump Administration Prepares to Revive and Expand Travel Bans. BJC consistently called out the dangers of the travel ban during the first Trump administration, including the very first one on Jan. 27, 2017. 

 

Segment 2 (starting at 16:26): Sensitive locations and calling on Congress to do their job 

There are two current lawsuits challenging the administration’s guidance on sensitive locations. In the lawsuit from Quaker congregations, a Sikh temple and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the judge issued an injunction on February 24 that blocks immigration officials from entering their houses of worship to conduct immigration enforcement operations. Read about that order on Democracy Forward’s website.

Holly mentioned a new bill in Congress called Protecting Sensitive Locations Act.

You are invited to join Faithful Witness Wednesdays throughout the month of March, as people of faith gather on the Capitol grounds to call on Congress to take action. Sign up for the March 19 or the Mach 26 events, which are organized by Sojourners and the Washington Interfaith Staff Community. 

Amanda spoke at the March 5 Faithful Witness Wednesday – you can watch a recording on the SojoAction YouTube channel and see photos on BJC’s Facebook page.

 

 

Segment 3 (starting 25:35): Three religious liberty cases headed to SCOTUS 

Amanda and Holly mentioned the emergency order from the Supreme Court to re-start payments for aid work that had been completed. Read more in this story by Justin Jouvenal, Annie Gowen and Ann E. Marimow for The Washington Post: Supreme Court says judge can force Trump administration to pay foreign aid

Amanda and Holly mentioned three religious liberty cases that the Supreme Court will hear this term: 

• Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission (March 31)
• The consolidated cases of Oklahoma Virtual Charter School Board v. Drummond and St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond (April 30)
• Mahmoud v. Taylor (April 22)

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