Christian Universities Increasingly Apply for Exemptions From Anti-Discrimination Rules

[marmar]

Christian Universities Increasingly Apply for Exemptions From Anti-Discrimination Rules

Saturday, 02 April 2016 00:00
By Eleanor J. Bader, Truthout | News Analysis


Six months after the US Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, Dr. Randall O'Brien, president of Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee, told the local CBS affiliate that "in a changing world, we want to reaffirm who we are, who we intend to be, and establish our identity as a religious school, a Christian school."

O'Brien was gleefully explaining that the 165-year-old college, established as Mossy Creek Missionary Baptist Seminary in 1851, had just been granted a US Department of Education (DOE) exemption from Title IX regulations, in effect allowing the university to continue to collect federal dollars for scholarships and sports programs despite banning unmarried, pregnant students; women who have had abortions; single mothers; and LGBTQ people from attending classes or working on campus.

This was not Carson-Newman's first foray into regulating the behavior of students, faculty or staff, or in imposing a set of religious restrictions on those connected to it. Far from it. Prior to obtaining the Title IX exemption last December, the campus code of conduct prohibited "lewd, obscene or vulgar language" or expression that is contrary to "Christian values and principle," and barred students and staff from engaging in or advocating engagement in "sexually immoral acts, including sexual relations outside of marriage."

But the Title IX exemption was different from these provisions because it involves money: federal dollars in the form of Pell grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants and subsidized student loans. It also allows Carson-Newman to continue to receive government funding for its athletic programs -- despite its overt intent to discriminate against the aforementioned groups of people in admissions, retention and hiring. .............(more)

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/35447-christian-universities-increasingly-apply-for-exemptions-from-anti-discrimination-rules

[HassleCat]

1. "Funding athletic programs"

I hope that just means they get federal work-study money. I would hate to discover colleges are getting federal money to pour down the toilet of intercollegiate athletics.

[Faux pas]

2. Kickin' with disgust

and sadness