Court Revives Religious Bias Lawsuit Over 'Laramie Project' Firing

A U.S. appeals court ruled that a former assistant principal can proceed with claims of religious discrimination after being terminated for objecting to a school play about Matthew Shepard.

• The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court's dismissal of Corey McNellis's religious discrimination lawsuit.
• McNellis, a former assistant principal, was fired in 2020 after making 'religious comments' about the school's production of 'The Laramie Project.'
• McNellis argued his termination was due to his Christian perspective on the play, which centers on the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student.
• The court found sufficient evidence to suggest McNellis was treated less favorably than non-Christian employees, allowing his bias claims to proceed.
• However, the court upheld the dismissal of McNellis's claims of retaliation and free-speech violations.

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