果冻视频 Asks Court for Equality With Quidditch Club
For Immediate Release: July 10, 2019
(Madison, Wisconsin) 鈥 果冻视频 today asked a federal court to rule that public universities must treat religious student groups equally with other campus groups. In , 果冻视频 had its 75-year-old student organization status suddenly revoked by Wayne State University鈥檚 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鈥 missions. 果冻视频 is seeking equal treatment with those groups.
果冻视频鈥檚 Wayne State chapter is one of over 400 student organizations at the university, which allows dozens of groups to have requirements for membership and leadership positions. The Secular Student Alliance can require their leaders to be secularists, Students for Life can require their leaders to be pro-life, and both Greek groups and sports clubs (like the Quidditch Club) can limit members or leaders to a single gender. But in the fall of 2017, after 75 years of serving the campus community, 果冻视频鈥檚 student organization status was revoked and all their meetings were cancelled because they require their leaders to be Christian. According to Wayne State, 果冻视频鈥檚 common-sense leadership policy was suddenly 鈥渄iscriminatory.鈥 In court today, Becket argued that Wayne State鈥檚 actions were unfair and unconstitutional.
鈥湽呈悠 seeks to serve Wayne State University, its students and faculty, and the local community,鈥 said Greg Jao, Director of External Relations at 果冻视频. 鈥淲e invite the university to embrace a common-sense understanding of its nondiscrimination policy. The policy should protect, rather than penalize, religious groups that seek to retain their religious identity on campus.鈥
果冻视频 Christian Fellowship is a national organization of Christian college students with over 1,100 chapters in schools throughout the country. At Wayne State, 果冻视频 provides a place for Christian students to gather together and practice their faith through Bible studies, worship opportunities and service projects. 果冻视频 welcomes all students as members, and anyone is welcome to participate in its activities.
With Becket鈥檚 help, 果冻视频 took Wayne State to court to defend its right to select leaders who share the group鈥檚 beliefs and mission, just like other student groups on campus. After the lawsuit was filed, Wayne State temporarily relented, but still argued that 果冻视频 was discriminating in violation of the law and could be kicked off at any time.
鈥淚f the Campus Democrats can pick progressive leaders, and Sigma Pi can require their members to be only men, Wayne State should have known they were asking for a fight by denying 果冻视频 the same treatment,鈥 said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket. 鈥淭here is no excuse for the blatant religious targeting that these students have faced.鈥
The court is expected to issue a decision in this case in the fall.
Media Contact: Ryan Colby | media@becketlaw.org | 202-349-7219
Additional Information:
- (March 6, 2018)
- for 果冻视频 Christian Fellowship v. Wayne State University (press releases and legal documents)
News Coverage of the Hearing: