At Wayne State, the Quidditch Club Can Set Leadership Requirements — But Christian Groups Can’t?

A Christian student group is fighting back against religious discrimination on campus.

Intervarsity Christian Fellowship requires group leaders to be Christians. But Wayne State University in Detroit called the requirement discriminatory and kicked the group off campus.

Though Wayne State reinstated the group after it filed a lawsuit, the school said Intervarsity Christian Fellowship is still discriminating against other students and could still face expulsion, according to the group’s legal counsel, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.

Other student clubs at Wayne State have leadership requirements — even the Quidditch Club. From Becket:

A Christian student group asked a federal court today to rule that public universities must treat religious student groups equally with other campus groups. In InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. Wayne State University, InterVarsity had its 75-year-old student organization status suddenly revoked by Wayne State University’s administration because the Christian student group asks its leaders to embrace its faith. But other student groups, such as the Quidditch Club, are allowed to select leaders and members based on the groups’ missions. InterVarsity is seeking equal treatment with those groups.

The group said the Secular Student Alliance can require their leaders to be secularists. Why would a taxpayer-supported institution revoke a religious student group’s charter for having similar requirements?

In its defense, Wayne State said the reinstated group is trying to “set a precedent” with their lawsuit. The students apparently feel their reinstatement isn’t on a firm foundation and seek the court’s protection of their First Amendment rights.

Featured photo credit: By Del arte at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link