Supreme Court conservatives lean toward allowing football coach’s postgame prayers
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court gave a mostly sympathetic hearing Monday to a former high school football coach whose prayers on the field may open the door for broader expression of religion in public schools.
The court’s conservative justices said they were prepared to amend past strict rulings that said public schools and their employees may not “endorse” or promote religion. They said that goes too far and violates the free speech and religious rights of school employees.
“Can you fire the coach for giving the sign of the cross on the field?” asked Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, because this would be a public expression of his religious faith.
He and other justices made clear they thought the answer was no. Private religious expression deserves to be protected, they said, even when it takes place at school.
They agreed a coach or teacher would cross a line and could be disciplined for pressuring students to join or participate in a prayer or other religious activity. But they were not clear on what precise actions by a teacher or coach would put pressure on students to follow their lead.
—Los Angeles Times
'People are dying:' Bills to close Missouri loophole allowing abusers to keep guns stall
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After passing a law six years ago allowing convicted domestic abusers to carry firearms, Missouri lawmakers have again stalled on legislation that would close the loophole.
Rep. Tracy McCreery, a Democrat who represents parts of St. Louis, was in office in 2016 when the wide-ranging, contentious gun bill was signed into law. The legislation legalizing permitless concealed carry also removed gun safety training classes and criminal background checks, which is when people were screened for past offenses.
At the time, McCreery remembers talks with lawmakers who knew the domestic violence loophole would become a deadly problem. But her colleagues said not to worry, they would be back next session to fix it.
"Now it's 2022 and we are still talking about this and people are dying," McCreery said. "Part of what makes our state stand out for homicides is because of intimate partner killings."
In 2021, 37 people were killed in domestic violence homicides and more than 4,000 aggravated domestic assaults occurred, according to data from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. In Kansas City, 13 people were killed in domestic violence incidents, according to the Kansas City Police Department.
—The Kansas City Star
After man ruined gay pride mural, he is ordered to write essay on victims of Pulse nightclub massacre
ORLANDO, Fla. — A driver who admitted to defacing an LGBTQ street mural in Delray Beach must write an essay about the hate and violence that gay, trans and queer people face, a judge has ordered.
Alexander Jerich, 20, of Lake Worth Beach, is required to write a 25-page essay about the 49 people killed in the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, the families they left behind and the origins of hate against the LGBTQ community.
Judge Scott Suskauer will decide if and how much jail time Jerich will serve at a hearing in June, which is Pride Month. Jerich broke down at a recent court hearing, crying several times, including when his father spoke on his behalf, and when he read an apology letter. It was the first time he’s spoken about the incident publicly.
“First I’d like to apologize for my actions. Sorry to the LGBTQ community for this act I’ve committed,” he said. “In no way, shape or form did I mean to hurt ... anyone.”
—South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Macron’s pledge to unite France is already falling on deaf ears
French President Emmanuel Macron may not have to wait long to find out just how badly his reelection has gone down in parts of France.
The French rallied around to give the 44-year-old centrist a second five-year term in Sunday’s presidential election. But many of them had to swallow their anger at his pro-business approach and perceived arrogance before they reluctantly voted for him in order to stop far-right leader Marine Le Pen from taking power.
Macron’s time in office has already seen at times violent demonstrations against his plans to reform the pension system, economic inequality and police brutality, which threw his overhaul of the economy off course. Unions are targeting the traditional workers’ day demonstrations on May 1 as a rallying point for those who want to show Macron that his victory doesn’t give him a blank check, according to Philippe Martinez, the leader the CGT, a driving force behind those protests.
“The streets remain important,” he said. Several other unions including the Force Ouvriere, Unsa and Solidaires have said they’d join in while the CFDT is holding an event in Paris.
—Bloomberg News
