In today’s News:
Religious schools’ accreditation threatened
The Human Rights Campaign — a large, influential LGBTQ advocacy group — recently released a policy brief with recommendations for a Biden administration, and the suggestions are alarming. The organization’s “Blueprint for Positive Change 2020” describes itself as “a comprehensive list of 85 individual policy recommendations aimed at improving the lives of LGBTQ people.” One of the more alarming suggestions from the organization’s proposal concerns accreditation for religious schools and universities. It states, “the Department of Education should issue a regulation clarifying that this provision, which requires accreditation agencies to ‘respect the stated mission’ of religious institutions, does not require the accreditation of religious institutions that do not meet neutral accreditation standards including nondiscrimination policies and scientific curriculum requirements.”
Native American casinos are exempt
Dec. 3 the office of Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a conditional stay-at-home order which went into effect Dec. 5, giving every region in the state 24 hours from the point its Intensive Care Unit capacity falls below 15 percent to implement the restrictions in the order. Once triggered, the order that restricts residents from gathering, limits grocery stores to 35 percent and retailers to 20 percent capacity; and shuts down bars, salons, indoor and outdoor restaurants, among others, will be in effect for thee weeks. Unlike the rest of the businesses, Native American tribes are not required to follow state’s orders as they are sovereign nations, so Native American casinos are not affected by the governor’s order.
Bill in Congress would defend women’s sports
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma introduced a bill Thursday banning transgender females — people who were born male — from taking part in women’s sports. The Protect Women’s Sports Act would clarify Title IX for female athletes based on biological sex and require that only biological females can participate in women’s sports.
State capitols display Nativity scenes
Baby Jesus is present at the Iowa statehouse this Christmas season. Starting with an opening ceremony on Dec. 12 and remaining through Dec. 26, a traditional Christian crèche is on display in the first-floor rotunda in Des Moines. The Thomas More Society, a national not-for-profit law firm, has teamed up again with the American Nativity Scene to help keep privately funded manger scenes in the public square for Christmas. The following state capitols featured a nativity scene in 2019: Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. Additionally, during Christmas 2020, manger displays will be featured in Idaho, Oklahoma, Nevada and West Virginia, with newly participating states still being added.
