Lawrence, MA - A federal court ordered the Lawrence Public Library to open its meeting rooms to religious groups and issued a court order prohibiting the library from enforcing its unconstitutional policy of denying access to programs that include religious viewpoints.
Lawrence Public Library Meeting Room Policy states, "Religious groups may use the Library's meeting rooms for administrative purposes but shall not be allowed use for the sake of proselytizing...or otherwise influencing people to a particular belief or point of view."
The court ruled within a month of Liberty Counsel filing a federal lawsuit against the City of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Public libraries are a marketplace of ideas. Government cannot censor religious viewpoints from the marketplace.
"Public libraries cannot exclude religious viewpoints from common meeting rooms that are open to the public," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "Of all places, public libraries should welcome religious viewpoints. Telling members of the public they can talk about any topic but must exclude religious viewpoints is as absurd as it is unconstitutional."
Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.
