True North Legal Director of Litigation Doug Wardlow recently took the deposition of a key Department of Corrections official in Schmitt v. Rebertus and obtained startling admissions of government hostility toward Christian beliefs.

Schmitt v. Rebertus is a landmark case that strikes at the heart of how government agencies are weaponizing “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) policies to suppress Christian viewpoints. For over a decade, our client, Tony Schmitt, led the Quest for Authentic Manhood program at the St. Cloud Correctional Facility. This voluntary rehabilitation program has transformed the lives of hundreds of inmates through Bible-based teaching on manhood, responsibility, and redemption. But in an egregious act of religious discrimination, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) abruptly canceled the program in 2023, citing in a letter to our client that the program’s “biblical lens” on manhood conflicts with the Department’s DEI values. True North Legal, in partnership with Upper Midwest Law Center, brought a lawsuit on behalf of Tony Schmitt, claiming that the Department’s actions violated his First Amendment rights.

TNL’s Doug Wardlow took the deposition of the DOC official who recommended termination of the Quest program. During the deposition, Wardlow quoted passages of Scripture that explain the Christian view of marriage and homosexuality. Under his questioning, the official testified that those biblical teachings conflict with the Department’s DEI values and admitted that she recommended termination of the Quest program because it included those teachings. Stunningly, she also admitted that she changed the cover photo on one of her social media profiles to portray a rainbow-colored “pride” image just one day before she paused the Quest program. These admissions lay bare the Department’s hostility toward core Christian teachings and support our claim that the Department engaged in religious discrimination that violates the First Amendment.

This case is far more than a fight for one, consequential prison ministry. In an era where DEI mandates permeate government and demand conformity to leftist secular ideals, this case is a frontline battle to protect the ability of believers to serve and shine the light of Christ in prisons, schools, and the community without fear of ideological purge. We remain prayerfully optimistic as we continue to litigate the case.