Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

May 16, 2025 at 11:31 AM

Big Win: Christian Students Won't Be Forced to Affirm Radical Gender Ideology

First Liberty Institute Federal court orders school to notify parents, provide opt-outs from gender ideology materials | Big Win: Federal Court Orders School to Notify Parents, Provide Opt-Outs from Gender Ideology Lessons We represent two families whose fift…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

May 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM

Returning the Church's Voice

First Liberty Institute It’s time to repeal the Johnson Amendment | May 15, 2025 Dear John, Throughout our nation’s history, houses of worship and religious leaders have played a direct role in political discourse in the United States. Prior to the 1950s, religious …

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

May 13, 2025 at 8:15 PM

BIG Win for Parents!

First Liberty Institute California Court rules schools have a duty to notify parents and provide opt-outs | May 13, 2025 Just a year ago, a school in Encinitas, CA used its “Buddy Activity Program” to force its fifth-grade students to deliver a message affirming gen…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

May 9, 2025 at 11:31 AM

3 Legal Victories + Colton Dixon Shout Out on Instagram

First Liberty Institute Big week at First Liberty | Three Legal Victories in a Single Week Restore Religious Freedom to Church, Teacher and Elementary Students What a tremendous week! Our President, CEO & Chief Counsel Kelly Shackelford was recently appoi…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

May 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM

A Special Message from Kelly

First Liberty Institute My Take on the Presidential Commission on Religious Freedom | May 6, 2025 Dear John, For me, this year’s National Day of Prayer ceremony in the Rose Garden at The White House was a very humbling experience. During the ceremony, President Trum…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

May 3, 2025 at 4:30 PM

Is it Summer Already?

First Liberty Institute The fight for faith is heating up in May |   Dear John, What a start to the month of May for First Liberty! This month, religious freedom is already being impacted in historic ways. But since May is Military Appreciation Month, I want to start wi…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

May 2, 2025 at 11:30 AM

I was at the White House this week...for a very special announcement

First Liberty Institute Pres. Trump asked me to serve on new religious freedom commission | First Liberty Institute’s Kelly Shackelford Appointed  to President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission During a ceremony celebrating National Day of Prayer, the Pres…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

May 1, 2025 at 8:24 PM

A major announcement from the White House

First Liberty Institute Kelly Shackelford appointed to serve on newly created presidential commission | May 1, 2025 “From the earliest days of our Republic, faith in God has always been the source of the strength that beats in the hearts of our nation. We have to bring …

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 29, 2025 at 5:30 PM

The new fight to protect faith

First Liberty Institute First Liberty responds to radical extremists' attacks | Dear John, The Trump administration has taken a number of positive actions in recent weeks concerning religious freedom. First, the administration established the White House Office of Faith to “empo…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 25, 2025 at 11:30 AM

California Mayor Orders Christian Mom to Stop Praying

First Liberty Institute “We don’t do prayer,” Ventura Mayor says after interrupting mom who prayed at city council meeting | California Mayor Orders Christian Mom to Stop Praying  at City Council Meeting More than 100 people spoke at the meeting, including a …

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 22, 2025 at 10:09 PM

City Says "We Don't Do Prayer"

First Liberty Institute First Liberty fights for prayer in Ventura, California | April 22, 2025 Dear John, As Tarin Swain walked to the podium at the March Ventura City Council, she felt compelled by religious conviction to pray. She hadn’t planned to pray. In fact,…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 18, 2025 at 11:30 AM

Landmark First Liberty Case Cited in Presidential Directive

First Liberty Institute Memo to agencies points to our Supreme Court victory in Treat Children Fairly case, Carson v. Makin | Landmark First Liberty Case Cited  in Directive to Federal Agencies As part of an effort to repeal unlawful regulations, the administ…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 17, 2025 at 1:02 AM

Parental rights trump government control

First Liberty Institute Supreme Court asked to intervene in case where a father was denied the right to represent his son | April 16, 2025 Dear John, When Blake Warner sought to represent himself and his minor son in a lawsuit against the Hillsborough School District,…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 11, 2025 at 11:31 AM

'They Walked Me Out of the School Like a Criminal' says Catholic Teacher Who Is Threatened with Termination

First Liberty Institute School district kicked Marisol Castro out of her classroom, no longer teaching students | ‘They Walked Me Out of the School Like a Criminal’  Says Catholic Teacher Who’s Threatened with Termination Marisol Arroyo-Castro refused to take…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM

Putting religious expression in a box?

First Liberty Institute Supreme Court asked to intervene in case where an evangelist was arrested for spreading the Word of God | April 10, 2025 Dear John, The First Amendment guarantees that all Americans have the right to express their point of view, religious or se…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 8, 2025 at 4:00 PM

In her own words...

First Liberty Institute Watch a special video message from Marisol Arroyo-Castro | April 8, 2025 Dear John, After three decades of dedicated service as a teacher in Connecticut’s New Britain School District, Marisol Arroyo-Castro is being threatened with termination…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 5, 2025 at 1:01 PM

10 reasons to pay attention to Arkansas

First Liberty Institute Ten Commandments legislation introduced in Arkansas legislature | Dear John, It seems like every time new legislation authorizes Ten Commandments displays, radicals come out of the woodwork to oppose it. For years, we’ve been defending Arkansas' …

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 4, 2025 at 11:31 AM

April Kicks Off with Two Key Wins for Religious Liberty

First Liberty Institute Victory for Chaplain Rusty Trubey and New Way Church in Florida | Victory for VA Chaplain Who Was Threatened with  Punishment & Censorship VA Secretary Doug Collins confirmed that reprimands against Chaplain Rusty Truby have been r…

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  Kelly Shackelford · [email protected]

April 3, 2025 at 7:16 PM

BREAKING: Victory for ALL VA Chaplains

First Liberty Institute Secretary of Veteran Affairs clears Chaplain Trubey and prohibits any policy censoring chaplains | April 3, 2025 When VA Chaplain Trubey preached a sermon from Romans 1, he had no idea his supervisor would start a firestorm that not only threaten…

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