The Oklahoma State Department of Education is pursuing a SLAPP suit against the Freedom From Religion Foundation
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against it by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE). FFRF sent letters to public schools in Oklahoma objecting to religious activities, prompting State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the Oklahoma Department of Education to file a “SLAPP” suit seeking to punish its constitutionally protected speech. The state’s Department of Education has failed to identify any actual violation of law.
“We are proud of the work we are doing to protect the rights of conscience of public school children in Oklahoma,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF Co-President. “This frivolous lawsuit by Ryan Walters seeks to silence FFRF, and we are not going to allow that to happen.”
FFRF is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Oklahoma. This “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation” (SLAPP) seeks to chill the free speech and petition rights of FFRF. SLAPP suits are used to weaponize the legal system to punish and silence constitutionally protected speech.
“Advocacy organizations have the right to criticize government policy and push for change,” said Megan Lambert, legal director of the ACLU of Oklahoma. “This lawsuit is just another in a long line of political stunts by OSDE as it seeks to silence and punish dissent. We will vigorously defend FFRF’s First Amendment rights against the Department’s abuse of the legal process.”
“Our client has not violated any law by speaking out against religious activities in Oklahoma public schools,” said Vera Eidelman, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. “This lawsuit has one goal: to chill our client’s ability to petition the government. This is an abusive legal tactic intended to punish people and organizations for speaking out and fighting back against government policies.”
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
