The Trump administration’s threats to education and religious freedom

In this week’s episode of The State of Belief, we’re diving into the high-stakes battle for religious freedom, democracy, and education with Maggie Siddiqi—the new senior fellow at Interfaith Alliance. Maggie is no stranger to the fight for equity. After serving in the Biden administration’s Department of Education, where she led faith-based and community partnerships, she’s now bringing her expertise to the front lines of interfaith advocacy.

With host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, Maggie addresses some urgent questions, including: Trump’s push to dismantle the Department of Education—what’s at stake for religious freedom and democracy? Bishop Marianne Budde’s fearless leadership—what does faithful resistance really look like? And the power of coalition-building—how can diverse religious communities come together to protect democracy?

Maggie doesn’t hold back when it comes to the contradictions in today’s political landscape. “Religious freedom is a matter of equity,” she says. “You can’t claim to support religious freedom while gutting the very institutions that make it possible.” She stresses that all students—religious or not—deserve to feel seen, respected, and included in their schools. And that extends to everyone living in this country.

With her deep background in interfaith relations, faith-based advocacy, and public policy, Maggie offers powerful insights on how we can stand up for justice in a time of rising division.

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Ray Kirstein is the Producer of the State of Belief podcast.