Gurumurthy Kalyanaram - Former Dean and former NYIT and UT Dallas professor Gurumurthy Kalyanaram reports on three important US Supreme Court decisions on social policy
matters issued in 2014. Here is an executive summary of these decisions. Gurumurthy Kalyanaram NYIT
On Religious Freedom, Town of Greece v. Galloway Gurumurthy Kalyanaram Lawsuit
Galloway and several other residents filed a lawsuit complaining that his freedom of religious expression was violated by his town, Greece in New York, because the town board regularly began its meetings with a Christian-faith based prayer. The Court ruled in favor of the town holding that town boards may start their meetings with sectarian prayers, and do not have to make undue efforts to represent all the faiths. The Court held that the First Amendment was not violated. This Court’s ruling is similar to the 1983 holding that Nebraska Legislature's practice of starting its sessions with a prayer, saying the practice was "deeply embedded in the history and tradition of this country." Gurumurthy Kalyanaram UT Dallas
On Religious Freedom, Town of Greece v. Galloway Gurumurthy Kalyanaram Lawsuit
Galloway and several other residents filed a lawsuit complaining that his freedom of religious expression was violated by his town, Greece in New York, because the town board regularly began its meetings with a Christian-faith based prayer. The Court ruled in favor of the town holding that town boards may start their meetings with sectarian prayers, and do not have to make undue efforts to represent all the faiths. The Court held that the First Amendment was not violated. This Court’s ruling is similar to the 1983 holding that Nebraska Legislature's practice of starting its sessions with a prayer, saying the practice was "deeply embedded in the history and tradition of this country." Gurumurthy Kalyanaram UT Dallas
