A new lawsuit challenges a chain of public charter schools in Arizona for their religious advocacy — which reportedly includes creationism. In a September 7, 2016, press release, Americans United for Separation of Church and State explained, "Heritage Academy, which has campuses in Mesa, Queen Creek[,] and Laveen, uses a textbook in its mandatory American government class for seniors that teaches students religious concepts such as creationism, divine judgment after death and the Ten Commandments. The public charter school also teaches religious principles through other class curricula."
NCSE bids farewell to Minda Berbeco, who joined NCSE as a Programs and Policy Director in 2012 to work on its climate change education initiative.
The conservative political activist Phyllis Schlafly died on September 5, 2016, at the age of 92, 
