Attorney with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
Attorney with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonpartisan, interfaith public-interest law firm, dedicating to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions in public and private, and is is representing the Ben Gamla Charter Academy; author of The Right to Be Wrong: Ending the Culture War over Religion in America
Language, Culture - and God - in Public Education With religious diversity on the increase, Christmas carols and crosses have raised controversies for America's public schools. But debate has been raised to a new level by an Arabic "themed" school in Brooklyn, New York and a Hebrew "charter" school in Hollywood, Florida. "Another school year, another round of controversy about religion in public education" reads an article in this coming Sunday's New York Times Nagazine about the two schools. Both schools say they will focus only on language and culture. Critics say it's inevitable they'll be teaching Islam and Judaism at taxpayer expense. It's question as old as the Constitution. Are there guidelines to help public schools from crossing the line that separates church and state?
As sidewalk gardens grow on Skid Row, homeless residents lose a sidewalk In a city with tens of thousands of people living on its streets, sidewalk space can be a hot commodity. Businesses want to keep the sidewalk clear for customers, but the city’s housing crisis means that for some people, the sidewalk is home. Some property owners have reportedly used sprinklers or private security guards to make sure no one sets up camp outside their doors. And in recent months, people living on the streets have noticed a new tactic – business owners effectively occupying a portion of the sidewalk themselves.
And now, tax issues Adding a new area of law to the list of President Trump’s legal issues...