Hemant Mehta is the founder and editor of FriendlyAtheist.com, a YouTube creator, and podcast co-host. He is a former National Board Certified math teacher in the suburbs of Chicago. He has appeared on CNN and FOX News and served on the board of directors for Foundation Beyond Belief and the Secular Student Alliance. He has written multiple books, including I Sold My Soul on eBay and The Young Atheist's Survival Guide. He also edited the book Queer Disbelief.
Idaho legislators may have finally come to their senses. Last week, I posted about Senate Bill 1321, which would allow teachers to use the Bible in the classroom whenever they think it would enhance the lesson. That’s already allowed in, say, English class, where you might discuss biblical allusions in literature and where you might want to analyze the Bible’s more poetic passages… but this bill would permit teachers to use the Bible anywhere and everywhere. Even in their science classes. Read more
Oklahoma State Rep. Travis Dunlap recently received an email from a constituent who urged him to vote against a bill that would allow taxpayer money to fund religious schools. Dunlap’s response was to remind the woman that some Christians have a problem with taxpayer money supporting public schools which, he bizarrely added, were “atheist-based.” Read more
New legislation in Maryland sponsored by Delegate Ric Metzgar would force students to listen to Christian prayers at school-sponsored events. HB0955 and SB0267 would both “allow nonsectarian student-initiated voluntary prayer during mandatory and voluntary school-sponsored student events” — which sounds fine since it’s “voluntary” and “student-initiated” — but it really amounts to the Christian majority forcing everyone else to listen to their prayers at graduation, a pep assembly, and every other gathering. Read more
There’s finally resolution in a lawsuit involving some of the leaders of multiple atheist organizations. Last May, Edwina Rogers (below) sued the Secular Coalition for America, her former employer, alleging that SCA leaders wrongfully terminated her and then made defamatory statements about her to the press. They were motivated, the document said, by “petty jealousies and naked ambition.” Read more
