Christians Sue Minnesota Over Law Excluding Faith-Based Colleges From State-Funded Program
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – A US federal court is considering a case brought by Minnesota Christian parents seeking the reversal of a new state law that would exclude faith-based colleges from participating in a tax-payer-funded program that helps high-school students earn free college credits.
The state-funded program in question is the Post Secondary Enrollment Options program, which was established 40 years ago and operated without issue until last year. In 2023, Minnesota passed a law barring PSEO participant schools from requiring prospective students to sign statements of faith as a requirement for acceptance. The law impacted Minnesota’s two conservative Christian colleges – the University of Northwestern-St. Paul and Crown College – as both require their students to sign statements aligning themselves with conservative Christian values.
The plaintiffs’ attorney Eric Baxter argued at the hearing on Monday: “There’s no evidence that the admissions requirements at Crown and Northwestern were causing a problem that was so compelling that they had to restrict these schools’ religious practices.”
“The state of Minnesota has a fundamental right to protect its [non-Christian, LGBTQ] students from discrimination,” Assistant Attorney General Jeff Timmerman responded.
“Unfortunately, Minnesota is depriving kids like ours of the opportunity to get a head start on college at schools that embrace their faith. We hope the court will strike this law down and protect all religious students and the schools they want to attend,” parents Melinda and Mark Loe said in a press release.
US District Judge Nancy Brasel heard arguments from the plaintiffs and the state on Monday December 9 but has not said when she will give her ruling. For the time being, until the court delivers a ruling, the state of Minnesota will not enforce the law and will allow the Christian colleges to continue to participate in the PSEO.
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