Anthony Schmitt taught a Quest course to inmates within the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MDOC) for several years until an MDOC official “objected to Schmitt’s religious viewpoint” and banned any further teaching. Schmitt sued to get the program reinstated, also asking for a preliminary injunction to continue teaching the Quest course while the case proceeded on the merits, but the lower court sided with prison officials. On appeal, the Eighth Circuit reversed the district court’s denial of the preliminary injunction, finding a clear-cut case of viewpoint discrimination, and remanded the case to the district court for entry of an order reinstating the Quest program pending a full adjudication of the case on the merits. On November 17, the U.S. District Court of Minnesota issued such an order.
