New Briefs for March 27, 2014

Charity’s ‘Booby’ Bracelets Overcome U.S. Supreme Court Hurdle

The U.S. Supreme Court won’t review a lower-court ruling upholding the right of two Pennsylvania middle-school girls to wear a charity’s bracelets that bear the slogan “I (heart) Boobies” to raise awareness about the need for breast-cancer screening. A federal appeals court in August rejected the Easton Area School District’s argument that the bracelets, sponsored by the Keep a Breast Foundation, were lewd or could cause disruption. Lawyers for the school board said the ruling robbed educators of the ability to maintain an environment “free from sexual entendre and vulgarity.”

Nonprofits Join TV Drive to Push AmeriCorps

Eighteen nonprofits, including household names Teach For America and Habitat for Humanity, are announcing this week that they will join a three-year campaign to enlist the help of Hollywood in promoting AmeriCorps, the national service program. ServiceNation, an advocacy group coordinating the effort, has been encouraging TV producers and writers to integrate AmeriCorps into their plots.

Women Lag in Pay and CEO Roles at Museums

Women lead only about a quarter of North American art museums with budgets of more than $15 million, and they earn an average of 71 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts, according to a survey of 211 members of the Association of Art Museum Directors.

Connecticut House Speaker Wants Colleges and Hospitals to Pay Property Taxes

Connecticut’s House speaker has proposed a measure requiring nonprofit hospitals and colleges to pay property taxes to increase revenue for local governments. State reimbursements to municipalities for some of the lost revenue cover only a fraction of what the towns could collect from taxes, said the speaker, J. Brendan Sharkey, a Democrat.

Richest African Pledges $1.2-Billion to Endow His Antipoverty Foundation

The Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote—Africa’s richest person, according to Forbes—plans to give $1.2-billion to his own foundation, which finances health, education, and disaster-relief efforts. The money will come from personal contributions and shares in his public companies, he told ThisDay.

Congressional Report Accuses Ex-IRS Chief of Targeting Conservative Nonprofits

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee issued a report saying that Lois Lerner, the former IRS chief for nonprofits, was “extensively involved” in singling out conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status for extra scrutiny. Ms. Lerner, who retired from the agency in September, declined to testify before the committee. Her lawyer, William Taylor, said Republicans were trying to keep a “conspiracy theory alive through the election cycle.”

In Minnesota, Leader of Education Nonprofits Accused of Using Funds for Personal Use

Minnesota’s attorney general has sued an education and housing nonprofit intended to serve children from low-income families. The lawsuit alleges that A Brighter Day Foundation has not housed any students since June 2013 and has offered only limited mentoring services while spending thousands of dollars on expenses for its executive director, Gardner Gay. Mr. Gardner could not be reached for comment.

California Republicans Block Bill to Require Nonprofits’ Disclosure of Political Donors

California’s Republican state senators blocked legislation to require nonprofits that spend significant amounts of money on state political campaigns to disclose their donors. The bill, a response to a controversy over contributions by out-of-state nonprofits to influence two ballot measures in 2012, was approved by the Senate last year.