Religious Freedom Claim Over Meditation in School Can Proceed

A former Chicago high school student’s claim that a transcendental meditation instruction program is unconstitutional can proceed, a federal court said.

The US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois denied cross-motions for summary judgment on Tuesday because there were factual disputes on whether an initiation ceremony into the program violated the establishment clause.

Amontae Williams sued Chicago’s Board of Education, the David Lynch Foundation, and the University of Chicago over the program in 2020. Williams signed a consent form to participate in the instruction in October 2018.

Students who participated in the program attended training sessions, the first ...