In November 2022, The Pines Church was negotiating a deal with HSD to rent space at Hermon High School for its Sunday services when members of the Committee presented the Pines Church with questions about the Church’s religious beliefs, such as its stance on gay marriage, abortion, conversion therapy, gender reassignment treatment, and sexual education for youth.
Not only were the Committee’s questions inappropriate, they were also irrelevant to the church’s lease qualification and not applied equally to secular entities and activities. The Committee’s questions carry a clear implication: unless The Pines Church aligns with the Committee’s stance on these matters, they will not endorse the church’s lease proposal. As a result, negotiations between the Church and the Hermon School Committee have collapsed.
The Committee’s actions violate Maine Public Accommodation Laws, as well as the Free Exercise Clause, Free Speech Clause, and Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Plaintiffs seek that this Court declare the Defendants actions unconstitutional award Plaintiffs damages.