Faith Under Fire - Ron Hittle
From Alan Reinach, President, Church State Council
The Church State Council, together with First Liberty and Baker Botts, LLP, is filing a certiorari petition in the United States Supreme Court today, in the case of Ron Hittle v. City of Stockton. Hittle served the Stockton Fire Department for many years, and had been Fire Chief when he was fired in 2012 for attending the Global Leadership Summit sponsored by Willow Creek, because it was sponsored by a religious organization. The Global Leadership Summit brings together world renowned leadership from the political, business, and religious leadership communities, to offer affordable expertise to persons of all faiths. Past summits have featured the likes of Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, Colin Powell, and Jack Welch former CEO of General Electric Fast Company, the business magazine, referred to the Summit as “learning from the business world’s best.”
The two lower courts dismissed Chief Hittle’s claims of religious discrimination by reversing the legal presumptions at the summary judgment stage, favoring the City’s explanation for its decision to fire Hittle, and demeaning Hittle’s extensive evidence of religious animus.
The case spotlights a split in the Circuit Courts of Appeal over the application of a legal test derived from an early decision known as McDonnell Douglas burden shifting. The misuse of the test has led courts to dismiss a very high percentage of employment discrimination cases that should be decided by the jury, rather than the court. Two of the sitting Justices, Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, criticized the test in decisions they issued before coming onto the Supreme Court.
The Church State Council has been representing Chief Hittle since late 2018, when his former attorney retired. Chief Hittle was fired in 2012, after attending the Summit in 2011. Hittle has since gone on to become principal of a large Christian school in Lodi, California, and has been serving the Christian community with wisdom and grace. Whatever the Supreme Court decides to do with his case, it has been a privilege and a personal blessing to know Ron and to handle his case. At the trial court phase, I was ably assisted by Wendy Musell, my friend and partner in many cases.
News Release from First Liberty
We’re asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Fire Chief Ron Hittle’s case. The city of Stockton, California, fired Chief Hittle after 24 years of service because he attended a leadership conference hosted at a church.
Today, we filed an appeal asking the Supreme Court to reverse a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that sided with the city in firing Chief Hittle. We’re also asking the Court to uphold the clear meaning of federal law that protects all Americans in the workplace.
Chief Ron Hittle was an exemplary leader of the Stockton Fire Department. When he became Fire Chief, he worked diligently to improve the department and lead his staff.
City leaders asked him to hone his leadership skills, and Chief Hittle chose the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit, a stellar leadership seminar featuring a diverse line up of religious and non-religious speakers, business leaders, coaches, authors and successful entrepreneurs.
But he was told it was unacceptable for him to attend a religiously affiliated seminar. His superiors opened a months-long investigation, mocked his beliefs, and eventually fired him.
“It is a tragic day for religious liberty in America when someone can be fired because they attend an event that includes religious perspectives,” said Stephanie Taub, Senior Counsel at First Liberty. “The city showed extreme anti-religious bias and broke the law when it fired Chief Hittle.”
Chief Hittle has been fighting through the federal courts for more than 10 years. Despite facing numerous setbacks, this Fire Chief isn’t giving up. And neither is First Liberty.
Federal law protects the freedom of every American to live without fear of being fired simply because of their beliefs. We’re going to continue fighting until Chief Hittle’s rights are vindicated and the City of Stockton is held accountable for its discrimination.
This case isn’t just about one firefighter. It impacts the rights of every person in the workplace.
In today’s cancel culture, many Americans are being forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood. A win for Chief Hittle could be a win that protects millions of Americans–including for you, your children and grandchildren.
Former California Fire Chief Appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court - The Center Square
Terminated Christian Fire Chief Petitions Supreme Court - Decision, The Evangelical Voice for Today
