Texas seniors win religious freedom fight

BALCH SPRINGS, Texas, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A Texas city has reached a settlement with a group of seniors who challenged a policy they said infringed on their religious freedom.

The Justice Department announced the settlement of the dispute involving a city-owned senior center at Balch Springs, southeast of Dallas.

Last August, the city stopped allowing seniors at the city-owned center to pray at meals, sing gospel songs and listen to weekly devotional speeches. The activities were run by volunteers and not city employees.

The Justice Department was asked to investigate whether the city's policy violated the Free Speech and Equal Protection Clauses of the Constitution, and Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination in public facilities based on religion.

The Balch Springs City Council voted unanimously Dec. 22 to lift the ban on religious activity at the center and adopt a policy that would permit speakers to address seniors at the center without regard to the content of their speech.

"Senior citizens should not be forced to check their faith at the door in order to participate in city-run programs and facilities," said R. Alexander Acosta, assistant attorney general for civil rights, in announcing closure of the case.