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15.11.05

Colleges hostile to diversity...

The University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire has told an RA that he may not lead a Bible Study class anywhere on campus.

The controversy began on July 26, when an administrator banned RAs from leading private, non-school-sponsored Bible studies in their dorms out of concern that students might feel “judged” and that Bible study–leading RAs might not be sufficiently “approachable.” Undergraduate RA Lance Steiger contacted FIRE, which on October 10 asked UWEC Interim Chancellor Vicki Lord Larson to lift the Bible study ban. Receiving no response, FIRE took the case public on November 2, resulting in public outcry and condemnation of the policy from state and national lawmakers.



Finally, in a November 8 letter, the University of Wisconsin’s general counsel attempted to justify the Bible study ban by claiming that UWEC has “consistently followed” a “viewpoint neutral” policy prohibiting RAs from organizing or leading “all organization [sic] or activities.” This claim contradicts UWEC’s own job description for RAs, which gives RAs the responsibility “[t]o help organize and promote educational, recreational, social, and cultural activities that the students want and need,” and asks them to “actively assist” in the “political” programs of the dorm.



I thought colleges are supposed to be places of higher education where virtually all ideas are considered and weighed against one another. I suppose all ideas are welcome except Christianity.