The Christian Legal Society, which has a chapter at the University of Iowa College of Law, will be forced to either change part of its constitution banning gays and lesbians as officers and voting members or face the possibility of losing funding from the university.
The decision comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that “public colleges and universities may require religious organizations seeking recognition or funds as campus groups to comply with anti-bias rules.”
The justices ruled 5-4 on the Christian Legal Society v. Martinez case, which dealt with an appeal from the Christian Legal Society’s chapter at the University of California-Hastings after the school denied recognition because it did not follow a university-wide policy barring discrimination based on sexual orientation.
The national religious legal group has a clause in its constitution stating executive members cannot engage in sexual conduct outside of traditional marriage, which includes homosexuality.
Many people have contended that violates the UI human-rights policy, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Several UI officials said they are aware of the ruling, but are still evaluating whether they will pull the group’s funding if it doesn’t change its policy.
“We’ll be studying it with an eye on our human-rights policy, but it’s too soon to be able to say what action we will take,” said Tom Rocklin, the vice president for UI Student Services.
UI Provost Wallace Loh made a similar statement.
Thomas Williams, a UI student and principal representative of the UI Christian Legal Society, declined to comment on the ruling, along with other members of the religious group.
John Rigby, the president of UI Student Government, said every student organization needs to comply with the rules of the UI human-rights policy before getting approved for funding.
“It just seems like there wasn’t much compliance,” he said. “Maybe it met every other facet or requirement, but that seems like a subtle discrimination.”
He sees the court ruling as a “landmark decision” in regards to fighting to stop discrimination on campus, he said.
“If you’re going to open the door to anyone, then I’m for that,” he said. “To hear that it’s a step in that direction is a positive thing.”
Will Creeley, the director of legal and public advocacy of FIRE, a national group based in Philadelphia whose mission is to defend and sustain individual rights at American colleges and universities, said he is disappointed with the Supreme Court’s decision. The ruling is denying First Amendment rights to religious student groups, he contended.
“The court’s ruling essentially forces devout religious groups to lie about their beliefs or be banished from the campus square, and that’s a problem,” he said.
Creeley believes the ruling contradicts the idea of tolerance.
“We would argue that real tolerance is acknowledging the right to freedom of expression, even if [people] disagree with them,” he said.
UI spokesman Tom Moore said officials were evaluating the situation on Monday and expected to make a decision on the matter today.