Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
We have another case of the government discriminating on the basis of religion.
According to Becket Law, Minnesota pays for high school students to start college early under the Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program. Governor Tim Walz, failed 2024 vice presidential candidate, last year signed a bill into law that bars colleges and universities with statements of faith from participating.
On behalf of Christian parents and schools, Becket Law filed a lawsuit against the state on the grounds that the law discriminates against religious institutions. The state is treating religious institutions differently from secular institutions. From Becket Law:
Melinda and Mark Loe and Dawn Erickson are parents in Minnesota who have used PSEO funds for their older children to attend two outstanding Christian schools, University of Northwestern – St. Paul and Crown College, that uphold their religious values. Their younger children want to do the same, but last year Minnesota passed a law that excludes religious schools like Northwestern and Crown from participating in the PSEO program because they require on-campus students to sign a statement of faith.
The statement of faith students must sign asks them to uphold the school’s religious beliefs. Why did the legislature pass a law to stop allowing taxpayer funds to be used at these schools?
The plaintiffs’ complaint (PDF) revealed the legislative history of the change. The bill’s author, Representative Laurie Pryor, suggested that Northwestern and Crown, which require signed statements of faith, don’t need one because “many, many faith institutions across the country, and in Minnesota, are able to be true to their faith and their mission and still accept students without compelling them to sign a statement.”
True or not, does this justify the state discriminating on the basis of religion and deciding what religious schools should do? A federal court will decide after hearing arguments next week.
Photo credit: By Clappert – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, link
