American Atheists warns Mahmoud v. Taylor ruling undermines public education, pluralism| American Atheists
WASHINGTON, DC – American Atheists, a national civil rights organization, condemns today’s Supreme Court decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, agreeing with Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s stark dissent that this decision “threatens the very essence of public education.” The case was brought by a group of Maryland parents who claimed their children should be permitted to “opt out” of reading storybooks featuring LGBTQ+ characters. The plaintiffs claimed these books violated their religious b...| American Atheists
American Atheists, in close coordination with Humanists International and Humanist Canada, announces the 2026 World Humanist Congress will no longer be held in Washington, D.C., but will instead take place in Ottawa, Canada, August 7-9, 2026. The decision to relocate comes after a thorough assessment of the social, political, and economic environment in the United States under the current administration. Escalating religious nationalism and executive actions restricting movement, targeting ci...| American Atheists
Washington, D.C. — In a deeply troubling 6–3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Even as transgender Americans face widespread discrimination, stigma, and violence, the Court refused to treat anti-trans laws with heightened constitutional suspicion. American Atheists, a national civil rights organization, says the Court’s ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti is a dangerous assault on equal protection, personal autonomy, a...| American Atheists
Washington, D.C. – In March, American Atheists filed an amicus brief in Catholic Charities v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm that employees should not be denied critical government benefits, including unemployment insurance, simply because their employer is religious. In its brief, the national civil rights organization said the Establishment Clause firmly – and rightfully – prohibits the government from using its taxation power...| American Atheists
Today, in a divided decision and with one recusal, the Supreme Court of the United States ultimately upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling that public funding for religious schools is unconstitutional. American Atheists filed an amicus brief last month urging the Court to recognize a taxpayer-funded religious school would be antithetical to our nation’s history and traditions. The brief was joined by the American Humanist Association, Secular Student Alliance, Secular Coalition f...| American Atheists
This week, American Atheists filed amicus briefs in two key cases before the U.S. Supreme Court urging the Court to uphold longstanding precedent to protect secular public schools in the United States.| American Atheists
American Atheists is proud to work alongside a diverse coalition of local, state, and national partners on legislation and litigation that protects civil rights, advances political equality, and achieves social inclusion for atheists and other nonreligious people. Our members trust us to be transparent; they expect us to be authentic; and they count on us to build strong, vibrant, and resilient communities. They understand, as we do, that we are strongest when we stand together, guided by our...| American Atheists
Washington, D.C. — American Atheists, a national civil rights organization, filed an amicus brief today in Catholic Charities v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in this case could determine, for the first time, whether nonprofit organizations doing charity work motivated by religious belief must be exempted from paying unemployment taxes. In Wisconsin, the state labor commission denied an application for exemption submitted by Catholic Cha...| American Atheists