The Supreme Court may soon decide whether a fired teacher is a religious employer —and the ramifications could be significant:
Though a decision may be an entire year away, churches are keeping a close eye on the case. The turning point is whether the teacher can be considered a ministerial employee, since she led prayer, devotions, and religion studies. If so, the church, Hosanna-Tabor, would be free to dismiss the teacher under the “ministerial exception” of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Rick Garnett, associate dean of the University of Notre Dame Law School, considers this the most significant religious freedom case in 20 years. He says a ruling against the school would narrow the existing exception too far, allowing courts to interfere with religious employment decisions. One in the school’s favor would affirm the religious freedoms granted to institutions.
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