Public university decertifies Christian student group for expecting its leaders to be Christians

[TitanTiger 20,472]

Lessons in Tolerance by the Loony Left, Wayne State University edition:
 

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Christian student group sues Wayne State University after status revoked
By Gus Burns

Updated Mar 7, 3:56 PM; Posted Mar 7, 3:50 PM

There are nearly 550 student organizations listed on Wayne State University's website, but after 75 years as part of the Detroit institution, the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is no longer among them.

The Christian group, which says it has more than 1,000 chapters nationwide, is now suing the Wayne State University Board of Governors, university President Roy Wilson, state officials and others on claims that its Constitutional rights have been violated.

According to the lawsuit, the Dean of Students, which approves student organizations, declined to renew the organization's status for the 2017-2018 school year, because its constitution is in violation of the university's discrimination policy.

While the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship says it welcomes members of all faiths, it limits leadership roles to Christians only. 

"And that's because InterVarsity's leaders hold an important spiritual leadership role within the group; they are given the title of 'Christian Leader' and held to biblical standards for leadership," the lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday says. "This role requires and authorizes them to perform a number of important religious functions for the group. For instance, one of the primary duties of leaders is leading Bible studies and engaging in religious teaching.

"Additionally, leaders will lead group prayer, organize and participate in religious outreach, and organize prayer vigils and other events."

The organization, which has operated on the WSU campus since 1941, was notified on Oct. 3 that it was no longer a recognized student organization. 

Wayne State University issued this statement: 

Wayne State University took action to decertify the student organization InterVarsity because it is in violation of the university's non-discrimination policy, which is consistent with the United States Constitution. Every student organization that applies for organizational status must agree to this policy before being certified. Leaders of this group read and agreed to the policy during the application process. 

The university is obliged and committed to protecting the constitutional and religious rights of everyone on our campus. Attaining official student organization status is a privilege rather than a right, and is conditional on compliance with our policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. 

We have taken every step possible to minimize the impact of the decertification on the group, and we approached InterVarsity last December with an offer to work on a resolution to this matter. Our offer still stands. Any such solution will be guided by our desire to reinstate the group's organization status while adhering to our nondiscrimination policy.

Removal of the status means the group may no longer apply for certain grant funding nor rent meeting rooms for free. The group must pay fees to operate vendor tables at student recruiting events and no longer has access to university-sponsored communication tools, among other benefits it no longer receives.

As of the lawsuit's filing, the organization claims it paid $2,720 to reserve space it would have otherwise been able to use for free as a student organization.

In response to an inquiry as to why the InterVarsity constitution was rejected, Ricardo Villarosa, coordinator for student life and student organization services, told the group it violated the university's non-discrimination policy.

The policy forbids discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, familial status, marital status, height, weight, disability, and veteran status. 

"It is not clear that this portion of the code applies to student organizations, since they are private organizations not run by Wayne State," the lawsuit says. "However, Wayne State's current position is that it applies to the chapter. Many recognized student organizations at Wayne State openly place limitations on both membership and leadership."

The group claims that numerous other sanctioned student organizations operate with limitations to gender, race or religion.

It notes Alpha Epsilon Phi has the stated purpose to "to inspire and support exemplary women ... while building on the vision of our Jewish founders."

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Students Association is made up of "regular young Muslims trying their best to practice and express their faith in university."

"Wayne State rightly allows fraternities to have only male leaders, female athletic clubs to have only female leaders, and African-American clubs to have only African-American leaders," according to the lawsuit. "But Wayne State cannot then say it is wrong for a Christian club to have only Christian leaders."

The lawsuit is asking that the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship have its rights as a student organization reinstated, and that it be awarded damages suffered during the time it's been shut down, along with legal costs. 

MLive has requested comment from university spokespeople and is awaiting a response. 

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2018/03/religious_constitutional_battl.html

 

Dear eight-pound, six-ounce, newborn infant Jesus, don't even know a word yet, just a little infant and so cuddly, but still omnipotent...please let this get to the Supreme Court under the current justices.  I want to hear the smackdown from DC all the way down here in God's country.

Side note:  Shouldn't the ACLU be making a statement about this as well?

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

30 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

Lessons in Tolerance by the Loony Left, Wayne State University edition:
 

Dear eight-pound, six-ounce, newborn infant Jesus, don't even know a word yet, just a little infant and so cuddly, but still omnipotent...please let this get to the Supreme Court under the current justices.  I want to hear the smackdown from DC all the way down here in God's country.

Side note:  Shouldn't the ACLU be making a statement about this as well?

Wow.

Are they filing in federal court? 

EDIT: guess so if it’s a federal question. Would love it to reach SCOTUS

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

This is just incredibly stupid by Wayne State.  Creating a problem when there wasn't one to begin with.  As long as these students were doing their own thing in a non-violent way, why does WSU even care?

[TitanTiger 20,472]

45 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

This is just incredibly stupid by Wayne State.  Creating a problem when there wasn't one to begin with.  As long as these students were doing their own thing in a non-violent way, why does WSU even care?

IMO, there's simply no way that's an innocent mistake.  Because as you say, there wasn't a problem to be solved.  There wasn't even a student complaint.  This is someone or a group of someones in the administration who has a bug up their rear about religion and thinks they've found a clever way to lessen Christian religious presence on campus while masking it in non-discrimination verbiage.

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

I had never heard of Wayne State. Maybe they wanted publicity for admissions purposes? 

[TitanTiger 20,472]

Wayne State blinks, re-certifies Intervarsity Christian Fellowship on campus:

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"Wayne State University values student groups as an integral part of campus life and co-curricular learning. We strive to foster student groups that are inclusive, diverse, and expand student experiences. After a review of the situation and communicating with the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship organization, Wayne State has decided to recertify the group as an official student organization.

"The InterVarsity student group is committed to welcoming and including all students, and the university will not intervene in the group’s leadership selection."

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2018/03/08/wayne-state-university-christian-student-group-intervarsity/408442002/

I'm happy for the outcome.  Though I sort of wish the case would have created a court precedent.  I have a feeling WSU was going to get smacked down and hard.

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

10 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

Wayne State blinks, re-certifies Intervarsity Christian Fellowship on campus:

I'm happy for the outcome.  Though I sort of wish the case would have created a court precedent.  I have a feeling WSU was going to get smacked down and hard.

Yep. There’s already a good bit a precedent established at the Supreme Court level that would at least require WSU to distinguish its case.

Justice Thomas wrote a notable opinion for the court on a similar matter (I believe the defendant in the case was “Milford”).