We the people dare to create a more perfect union.

From opening prayers to religious authoritarian laws to the pastors who show up to defend their transgender congregants, religion is an unavoidable fact in the South Carolina Statehouse. What does it mean when people from the same faith traditions find themselves at odds in the political arena? We've met some remarkable faith leaders and people of faith who joined us in the pursuit of civil liberties. Two of those people, Ginny Eiwen and the Rev. Alston Lippert, join us on today's episode to share what they have witnessed and how they keep going. Interested in joining the Faith & Justice Table? Fill out the interest form at aclusc.org/fj The March of Dimes Maternal and Infant Health Report Card mentioned in this episode is available here: https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/reports/south-carolina/report-card

287(g) agreements authorize local police to do the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They are a threat to public safety, a disaster for civil liberties, and a financial burden on local governments.

Matthew Ariwoola came to South Carolina to do life-saving chemistry research. He isn’t letting the Trump administration stop him.

In October 2025, South Carolina public school librarians and students filed a lawsuit asking a federal court to block enforcement of the state’s unconstitutional book banning regulation and a classroom censorship memo issued by the state education superintendent. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of Regulation 43-170, which bans all materials in kindergarten through 12th grade public schools if they contain descriptions or depictions of “sexual conduct.” This regulation, which was promoted by Superintendent Ellen Weaver and took effect in June 2024, led to the banning or restriction of 22 books statewide — the largest number of state-mandated school book bans in any state, according to PEN America. (See the full list of books below.) The lawsuit also challenges a memorandum issued by Superintendent Weaver on March 14, 2025, that requires state employees to indoctrinate students according to the superintendent’s views on sex, gender, race, and American exceptionalism. The memo prohibits 14 ideas and concepts from S.C. Department of Education materials, including “implicit bias,” “restorative justice,” “cisgender,” and “social-emotional learning,” although it notes that its list of taboo concepts is “not exhaustive.” The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) and three minor public school students. The suit challenges the superintendent’s censorship regime under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.