Two Christian clubs are taking legal action against Virginia State University for implementing a policy that punishes students for expressing their religious beliefs.
According to Alliance Defending Freedom, which is providing legal aid to the national organizations, attorneys filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of the Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship. Each has a chapter at VSU, providing religious support to students on college campuses. They host events both on and off campus such as Bible studies, leadership events, and other training events.
Issues began last August when the Campus Ministries office implemented a new policy restricting student-led Ministries from holding registered student organization status or affiliation with their National organizations. Instead the groups are under the “governance and influence” of campus ministries, which is governed by VSU’s Campus Minister Thomas Wynn, and a board of advisors composed of faculty members and university employees.
However, The Muslim Students Association and the VSU Community Faith Alliance, which are the only non-Christian organizations at the University, are exempted from the policy. Wynn, who can approve or reject requests for religious meetings, events and speakers, also announced that under the new rules, Sunday shuttles to and from a local church are discontinued. In addition, Wynn also said that if a new non-Christian faith-based group—such as a Hindu or Buddhist group—was established at VSU, it would be evaluated on a “case-by-case” basis for an exemption like the one granted to the Muslim Student Association. The lawsuit juxtaposes the policy’s pledge to help students “grow in their respective faith traditions,” with its specified target of only Christian groups. The ADF alleges that the policy punishes students for expressing their religious beliefs. It also reports that university officials have used it to stop Christian students from gathering, even for non-religious meetings.
“VSU is brazenly singling out Christian clubs and treating them worse than student groups of other faiths. The Constitution prohibits such blatant discrimination,” said ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer. “The First Amendment clearly establishes the right of all student organizations to associate around shared beliefs. The students of Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship are right to stand up to university officials and hold them accountable for violating their fundamental rights.”
Meanwhile, Jneva Norfleet, Founder and Executive Director of Women of Victory Ministries expressed dismay at the university’s obvious oppression of Christians.
“It is disheartening that VSU administrators have chosen to strip our chapter of its registered student organization status, rights, and benefits because of the students’ religious beliefs. Women of Victory Ministries advocates for every student’s right to freely express their faith on campus. We wholeheartedly support our students and are proud of them for taking this stand,” she said.
