Freedom Updates
Advocates in Action
Teaching the Truth
We are representing a teacher, Jessica Tapia, who was fired after refusing to endorse the woke policies of a Southern California school district. The district enforced directives requiring she hide students’ gender reassignment treatment from their parents, allow transgender students to use their preferred locker room and restroom, refrain from sharing her faith and beliefs on social media, and abstain from sharing her biblical beliefs with students when approached with faith-based questions.
Listen below to hear how Jessica’s story is already affecting change as new legislation is being introduced to protect parental rights and children.
Calvary Chapel San Jose Recap and Update
Last week we issued an urgent prayer request over our Calvary Chapel San Jose Case. While the battle is still waging, we wanted to give you a brief recap of events.
Pastor Mike McClure
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CALVARY CHAPEL SAN JOSE CASE – Pastor Mike McClure & Calvary Chapel San Jose sued Santa Clara County, Dr. Sara Cody, James Williams & the Board of Supervisors for implementing & enforcing unconstitutional COVID-19 public health orders. SC County was the first county to issue a shelter-in-place order & has implemented the most aggressive fine system. The county seeks to collect $2.87 million in COVID-19 fines from the church, even though the Supreme Court has admonished California five times and held their orders as applied to churches were violative of the 1st Amendment. So far, we have successfully overturned the contempt charges and over $200,000 in fines and sanctions levied against the church and Pastor McClure, but we still have court proceedings ongoing in relation to the $2.87 million in fines SC County seeks to collect from the church.
GEOTRACKING: SC County paid SafeGraph to track Calvary’s visitors through geo-tracking. SC County did not acquire a warrant before surveilling Calvary, nor did they apply any apparent limitations on their surveillance efforts. They placed a geofence around the church property for over a year, allowing the county to track congregants anywhere, including the bathroom, nursery, sanctuary and prayer rooms. The county’s conduct is unprecedented.
LATEST: On March 10, 2023, the federal judge dismissed Calvary’s complaint against SC County. The judge chose to exercise her discretion and abstain from issuing a ruling and punted the case to the state court. Next, the state court issued a tentative ruling in favor of the county. Calvary plans to appeal both decisions as well as file a separate lawsuit challenging the county’s unlawful surveillance of church congregants.
TRANSLATION: The Federal Court sheepishly kicked it back to State Court, even though the Judge previously told the county “this is not the hill you want to die on.” In its tentative ruling, the State Court completely disregarded material evidence & suggested it would rule in favor of the county & dismiss the church’s constitutional defenses. We are appealing the federal decision & pray the State Court follows the Constitution with the time she has left to change her unconstitutional ruling.
We need your prayer and support over this case. This case will set the precedent for religious freedom everywhere.
Press Release | Advocates For Faith and Freedom Files Lawsuit Challenging California’s Transgender Sanctuary Bill
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, march 7, 2023
CONTACT: NICOLE VELASCO AT 951-304-7583
NVELASCO@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
For Immediate Release 03/07/2023, Murrieta, California – Today, Advocates filed a lawsuit challenging California Senate Bill (SB) 107 on behalf of Our Watch, a non-profit organization in Murrieta, California dedicated to protecting parental rights. This bill, otherwise known as the Transgender Sanctuary Bill, allows children to flee from other states to obtain irreversible medical procedures, puberty blockers, and cross-sex hormones. The bill denies parents the right to access their child’s medical information as it relates to “gender-affirming health care” or “gender-affirming mental health care” and allows California courts to take emergency jurisdiction over a child seeking gender-affirming care.
“SB 107 is a dangerous piece of legislation that strips the right of parents to direct the care and upbringing of their child,” says Mariah Gondeiro, legal counsel for Advocates for Faith and Freedom. “Parents, not the government, are best suited to decide whether their child should undergo life-altering drugs and surgeries that will impair their ability to become a parent later in life.”
“One of my top priorities has been the preservation of parental rights, and I believe SB 107 is a dangerous, irresponsible law that is an assault on those rights,” says Pastor Tim Thompson, President of Our Watch and Pastor of 412 Temecula Valley.
“As someone who has been harmed by these policies, it is imperative that we challenge SB 107 because it will allow vulnerable children from other states to undergo life-altering and harmful surgeries and drugs,” says Chloe Cole.
The lawsuit alleges that SB 107 violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Full Faith and Credit Clause, as it was passed in direct hostility to the laws of conservative states like Alabama and Texas. Plaintiff seeks to enjoin SB 107 and declare it unconstitutional.