The Religious Liberty Commission convened its third hearing in Washington, D.C., focusing on religious liberty issues in public education. The session included testimony from teachers, coaches, school leaders, families, and subject matter experts about the challenges and opportunities for religious freedom within educational settings.
The hearing opened with a panel discussing violence against faith communities. Friends of Charlie Kirk spoke about his advocacy for religious liberty. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “Charlie Kirk was an American hero whose love for God, country, and family guided every step of his life. Our Religious Liberty Commission will continue to uphold his legacy of advocating for religious liberty, particularly at our educational institutions that too often seek to suppress free speech.”
Commission Chairman Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick addressed the rise in violence targeting people of faith: “Physical violence and murder are the ultimate deprivations of religious liberty. We have seen a tragic rise in such violence targeted at communities and individuals of faith, including our friend Charlie Kirk. This behavior is un-American and threatens every state in the nation. The Department of Justice Religious Liberty Commission stands with the Trump Administration in condemning it, finding the root cause of this violence, and doing everything possible to end it. We will not rest until we do.”
The hearing featured testimony from educators who described their experiences facing alleged discrimination due to their religious beliefs. Chairman Patrick remarked, “In our hearing, we had heartbreaking testimony from great teachers and coaches who were bullied and threatened by the education system to choose between keeping their faith or keeping their jobs. Even after winning at the Supreme Court, the hateful attacks on them by the schools continued. No American should have to endure the grief and pain of being targeted by religious discrimination. Our Commissioners left with renewed conviction in the urgent need to restore First Amendment protections for our public and private schools and their staff.”
Among those testifying were Coach Joe Kennedy, who lost his job after praying on the football field—a case ultimately decided in his favor by the U.S. Supreme Court—and Monica Gill, a teacher involved in litigation over policies she argued conflicted with her religious beliefs regarding gender identity.
Other panels addressed issues such as protecting faith-based schools’ autonomy and access to state funding programs for students attending religious schools—topics that have reached courts across several states.
The next hearing is scheduled for November 17 in Dallas, Texas, where it will focus on religious liberty within the U.S. military context. More information about registration can be found at https://www.justice.gov/religious-liberty-commission/upcoming-hearings.
The Religious Liberty Commission was established under Executive Order 14291 during President Trump’s administration with a mandate to report on foundational principles of religious liberty in America and recommend strategies to safeguard these freedoms for future generations.
