Inmates’ Religious Rights Upheld
Six inmates incarcerated at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in New York will have the unique opportunity to witness the upcoming solar eclipse after successfully arguing that their religious rights would be infringed upon if they were denied the chance to view the celestial event.
Religious Diversity Among Plaintiffs
The group of inmates, including individuals from various religious backgrounds such as atheism, Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Islam, and Santeria, filed a federal lawsuit asserting that the eclipse holds religious significance for them.
Resolution Reached
Following the lawsuit, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision agreed to a settlement allowing the six individuals to observe the eclipse in line with their religious beliefs. The corrections department confirmed that it had been considering religious accommodations for viewing the eclipse even before the legal action was taken.
Implications and Next Steps
While the Woodbourne Correctional Facility is not in the path of totality, an interactive map by NASA indicates that the prison will still experience a partial impact from the eclipse. This rare event, scheduled for Monday, emphasizes the importance of upholding individuals’ religious freedoms, even within the confines of a correctional institution.