Christian Group’s Coreligionist Hiring Row Back Before 9th Cir.

A Christian youth ministry and Oregon Department of Education officials struggled Wednesday to sway the Ninth Circuit on whether a change to a state grant program for at-risk youth violates the ministry’s First Amendment rights.

The appeal by Youth 71Five Ministries, which challenges what it says was the cancellation of $410,000 in funding it had been approved for during the 2023-2025 grant cycle, gives the circuit another chance to address coreligionist-only hiring by religious entities. The Oregon officials say they changed course on Youth 71Five’s funding after learning the nonprofit improperly attested that it doesn’t discriminate in employment based on ...