Colleges argue Minnesota’s rules excluding faith-based schools from two membership applications violates religious rights
Following a December hearing, an attorney for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represents two Holy schools in Minnesota, expressed optimism about their situation challenging a state laws they claim violates.
If Crown College and University of Northwestern, St. Paul are required to sign statements of trust, the law forbids them from participating in taxpayer-funded higher school two membership programs.
The Supreme Court has ruled three times in the past seven years that people can’t be excluded from participating in federal programs based on their religion. Attorney Eric Baxter told The College Fix that the Minnesota Department of Education has done precisely that.
Minnesota’s Postsecondary Enrollment Options system allows 10th to 12th-grade students to take college classes and receive funds tuition-free. The cost of teaching those individuals is covered by reimbursement for institutions that participate in the program.
But, Crown College and the University of Northwestern, St. Paul never use PSEO resources, as they require a belief statement from individuals.
Baxter told The Fix,” The events made their last claims in their summary judgment meetings, which were finished in first November”.
” On December 9th, we had oral arguments in front of the prosecutor. She then stated that she would be working on writing a last opinion after receiving the advice.
Since then, the prosecutor has asked the functions for more presentation. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty has until January 31 to respond, according to Baxter, and the Minnesota Department of Education will submit extra papers on January 17, 2025.
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” It usually takes 4-6 weeks for a judge to rule”, he said, adding that he expects the judgement to” come out sometime this summers”.
If the judge upholds the law, Baxter confirmed that the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty may contest the selection.
According to the Minnesota Reformer, the law in question was a” broad training expenses that boosted people paying for colleges by almost$ 2.3 billion.”
It states that,” An eligible establishment may not need a belief statement from a secondary student seeking to participate in a postgraduate course under this section during the application process or base any part of the admission decision on a student’s race, creed, ethnicity, disability, gender, or sexual orientation or spiritual beliefs or affiliations”.
The Becket Fund sued the Minnesota Department of Education on behalf of some parents who want to use PSEO money for their children in May 2023.
In a news release, Mark and Melinda Loe, the kids, stated that” We raise our children put their faith at the center of everything they do.” Sadly, Minnesota is denying our children the chance to begin college at institutions that support their faith.
We hope the court will uphold this law and protect all spiritual individuals and the institutions they choose to attend, they said.
The College Fix contacted Crown College and the University of Northwestern to inquire about both of their statements of faith needs and their aspirations for the event. The Becket Fund received all inquiries relating to lawsuits from both institutions.
In addition, The Fix frequently emailed the Minnesota Department of Education with inquiries regarding the law’s application and its effects on spiritual rights. The MDE has so far no responded.
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Photo: Crown College/Youtube
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