Pine Knot News - A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news

Freedom to practice religion is a cornerstone of our country and its history — we enjoy many freedoms that are constitutionally protected, and the freedom of religion is the prime example. In the past, the Minnesota Human Rights Act included an exemption for religious groups from being forced to hire individuals that don’t align with their deeply held religious beliefs, because of that very protection. This meant that religious institutions like churches and schools were not forced to hire those whose belief system did not align with those of the organization. Until last year, this exemption e...