Religious Liberty

Promoting Religious Liberty Through Law and Policy

Georgia Community Foundation believes that religious freedom is essential to the success of a democratic society. For this reason, GCF works closely with Solidarity Center for Law and Justice, P.C., a public interest civil and human rights law firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. Solidarity Center for Law and Justice has filed amicus curiae briefs in three religious liberty cases in the Supreme Court of the United States. In the case of Good News Club v. Milford Central School (2001), it successfully argued in support of a Christian youth group that sought the same after-school access to public schools as a school district was providing to secular youth groups. In Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002), it successfully argued in support of an Ohio program that provided parents in Cleveland with state funds to use for the education of their children at the schools of their choice. In Locke v. Davey (2004), it unsuccessfully argued in support of a college student pursuing a pastoral ministries degree to receive the same state-funded scholarship assistance as was being provided by Washington to college students pursuing other degrees. GCF also educates state policy makers about the discriminatory history and impact of the Blaine Amendment to Georgia’s Constitution that opponents of religious freedom rely upon to prevent faith-based organizations from gaining equal access to public funds for the provision of social and educational services to those in need.