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Court Shields Religious Schools From Bias Suits

2020

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 7-2 vote, bars teachers at religious schools from filing discrimination lawsuits against their employers. The majority opinion said the Constitution’s protection of religious liberty exempts church-run schools from state and federal anti-discrimination laws. Two teachers at Catholic schools in Los Angeles County complained they were unfairly dismissed, one due to an illness and the other due to age. The Court found that since such schools are part of a church’s religious mission, the government may not interfere with decisions about hiring, supervision and firing of teachers. The cases are Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel.