In Maine, a federal judge denied a Bangor church’s request for its affiliated schools to be exempt from Maine’s anti-discrimination laws when seeking public money.
Crosspoint Church of Bangor sued last year the Maine Human Rights Commission and Education Commissioner Pender Makin over its inability to accept public funds unless it follows the Maine Human Rights Act, which was amended in 2021 to require schools taking tuition from towns without high schools to accept and hire LGBTQ+ students and employees.
Crosspoint’s affiliated schools operate under a “statement of faith” that says marriage is between one man and one woman and sexual activity, identity or expression outside of that are “sinful perversions” and unacceptable. The judge also pointed out the schools’ code of conduct bans students from “identifying as a gender other than their biological sex.”
The church is claiming “religious discrimination” and calls the laws unconstitutional.
The case will be appealed.
https://wgme.com/news/local/judge-denies-maine-churchs-attempt-to-ignore-anti-discrimination-laws-crosspoint-church-of-bangor-maine-human-rights-commission-education-commissioner-pender-makin-lgbtq-students-employees
