Feds accuse Texas prison agency of discriminating against employee for wearing a headscarf
A federal lawsuit asserts that the Texas agency terminated a state prison clerk who refused to remove a head covering in line with her Ifa faith. Full Story
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Credit: Martin do Nascimento for The Texas Tribune -
A new Texas law allows schools to hire chaplains as counselors. So far, only one school has opted into the program.
Many independent school districts, including the largest ones, do not allow chaplains to serve as counselors, which is now allowed under a new Texas law. Full Story
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![Nimitz Middle School students gather in the hallway outside of a classroom as they wait for a teacher between periods Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Interfaith collaboration is vital to solving today’s massive challenges, community leaders say
During a conversation hosted in Houston by The Texas Tribune, panelists talked about the importance of building bridges among different faiths despite politics often causing divisions within institutions. Full Story
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![In this Texas Tribune conversation, which is part of our “We the Texans” project looking at the state of democracy in Texas, we’ll talk with faith leaders about improving their communities, getting past the daily vitriol we hear in public discourse and what guidance they give to people who are losing faith in our systems and institutions.]()
Credit: Alfredo Palacios/The Texas Tribune -
Southern Baptist Convention settles high-profile lawsuit that accused former leader of sexual abuse
The suit prompted a major newspaper investigation into Southern Baptist sexual abuse and seven other men to come forward with allegations against Paul Pressler, an influential conservative activist and former Texas judge. Full Story
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![Paul Pressler, retired justice of the Texas 14th Circuit Court of Appeals.]()
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Far-right activist blasts Speaker Phelan for being "pro-Muslim" in political mailer
The card insinuates that Phelan wants to wish his constituents a happy Ramadan instead of a merry Christmas. Muslim Texans say it’s Islamophobic and some Republicans say it doesn't reflect Christian values. Full Story
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![Cary Cheshire outside of the offices of Pale Horse Strategies in Fort Worth on Oct. 6, 2023. Cheshire is the executive director of Texans For Strong Borders and a longtime employee of Defend Texas Liberty-linked groups.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo for the Texas Tribune -
Texas activist David Barton wants to end separation of church and state. He has the ear of the new U.S. House speaker.
Barton has been a staple of Texas’ Christian conservative movement, offering crucial support to politicians and frequently being cited or called on to testify in favor of bills that critics say would erode church-state separations. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Facing enrollment declines, Texas Catholic schools are leading supporters of school vouchers
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops has been one of the staunchest voucher supporters, arguing it would increase access to religious education regardless of income level. Full Story
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![A classroom at Sacred Heart Parish School in Uvalde, on Aug. 14, 2022. The school is preparing for classes to begin the following day, a full month ahead of public schools in the Uvalde district.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune -
Texas backlash to Obama fueled conservative drive to reinterpret U.S. Constitution
Barraging the Obama administration with lawsuits, the Texas attorney general’s office wasn’t just trying to block policies. It was injecting disruptive, overtly Christian legal philosophies into the mainstream, and grooming a generation of conservative legal warriors. Full Story
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![A woven photo collage featuring images from left to right and highlights of red. Photo clips include stained glass windows from a cathedral, a young Greg Abbott, framed images of Supreme Court justices, and the U.S. Capitol dome.]()
Credit: Emily Albracht/The Texas Tribune -
Part 1: In 1998, a legal revolution was quietly born in Texas. It would pull America’s courts rightward.
With his election as Texas attorney general, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn planted the seeds of conservatism. Gov. Greg Abbott used his tenure to cultivate them into an aggressive strain of right-wing activism aimed at driving the nation’s courts and laws to the right. Full Story
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![A woven photo collage featuring images from left to right and highlights of red. Photo clips include corners of the U.S. Supreme Court architecture, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn on the Senate judicial committee, stained glass windows from a cathedral, and federal justices during a hearing.]()
Credit: Emily Albracht/The Texas Tribune -
Unlicensed religious chaplains may counsel students in Texas’ public schools after lawmakers OK proposal
Opponents fear the bill is a “Trojan horse” for evangelizing kids and will worsen the state’s mental health crisis through disproven counseling approaches. Full Story
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![Students walk to class in between class periods at Tenaha High School in Tenaha, TX photographed on November 11, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Bill requiring Ten Commandments in Texas classrooms fails in House after missing crucial deadline
Senate Bill 1515 was one of several legislative attempts by conservative Christians to center public life around their religious views. Full Story
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![The Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds in Austin on July 16, 2012.]()
Credit: Ariel Min/The Texas Tribune -
Key supporter of Texas school chaplain bill has pushed for evangelism in schools
Rocky Malloy, a self-described former drug-smuggling pirate saved by divine intervention, has led a group that promotes chaplains as a tool to proselytize to schoolchildren. Full Story
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![Passing period at United South High School in Laredo.]()
Credit: Rachel Zein for The Texas Tribune -
Churches’ role in Abilene election prompts calls for investigations
West Texas voters rejected three conservative Christian candidates who sought to infuse religious values into local politics. The campaign support the candidates received from local churches has prompted calls for state and federal probes. Full Story
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![Campign signs outside of the 11th & Willis St. Church of Christ in Abiele, Texas, on May 6.]()
Credit: Johnathan Johnson for ProPublica -
A trio of Texas churches donated to political candidate despite clear IRS prohibition
A candidate for the Abilene City Council said that three churches made an honest mistake by donating to his campaign and that he is returning the money. The race has been beset by allegations of electioneering by churches. Full Story
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![An American flag waves in the wind next to a sign for Scott Beard in Abilene, Texas on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Emil T. Lippe for Pro Publica)]()
Credit: Emil T. Lippe for The Texas Tribune and ProPublica -
Public schools would have to display Ten Commandments under bill passed by Texas Senate
The Senate also passed a bill that would set prayer and Bible reading times during the school day. Full Story
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![The Ten Commandments Monument on the Texas State Capitol grounds in Austin.]()
Credit: Ariel Min/The Texas Tribune -
Quran taken from Texas Capitol chapel recovered by state police. They aren’t saying who removed it.
Days after it went missing, DPS identified the person who removed a family Quran Rep. Salman Bhojani had placed in the chapel. The state has since provided its own copy. Full Story
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![State Rep. Salman Bhojani, D-HD92, swears in on a copy of the Quran the on the opening day of the 88th Legislative Session at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
These 20 churches supported political candidates. Experts say they violated federal law.
Churches aren’t supposed to endorse political candidates, according to IRS rules. Across the country, churches appear to be doing so anyway. Full Story
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![Video editing by Gerardo del Valle/ProPublica. Source videos: Cowboy Church of Corsicana, Mercy Culture, KingdomLife, Friendship-West Baptist Church, Sojourn Church, Beth Sar Shalom, Abundant Life Church, Unite Church, Legacy Church.]()
Credit: Video editing by Gerardo del Valle/ProPublica. Source videos: Cowboy Church of Corsicana, Mercy Culture, KingdomLife, Friendship-West Baptist Church, Sojourn Church, Beth Sar Shalom, Abundant Life Church, Unite Church, Legacy Church. -
Texas churches violated tax law ahead of Tuesday’s election, experts say
Churches in Texas invited Beto O’Rourke and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to speak to their congregations before the 2022 midterms, raising questions about the effectiveness of the Johnson Amendment. Full Story
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Credit: Juanjo Gasull for ProPublica/The Texas Tribune -
Churches are breaking the law and endorsing in elections, experts say. The IRS looks the other way.
For nearly 70 years, federal law has barred churches from directly involving themselves in political campaigns, but the IRS has largely abdicated its enforcement responsibilities as churches have become more brazen about publicly backing candidates. Full Story
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Tell us how religious organizations in your area involve themselves in elections
Federal law bars churches and other nonprofit groups from endorsing candidates or helping to fundraise, but we know they regularly sidestep — or flat-out ignore — these rules. Help us identify examples. Full Story
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Credit: Juanjo Gasull for The Texas Tribune/ProPublica
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