Two Christian colleges in Minnesota are challenging the state after a decades-old law was amended to exclude them from participating in the state's dual enrollment program.
Since 1985, Minnesota's postsecondary enrollment program has allowed thousands of high school students who wish to attend both private and public universities and receive free high school and college credits at the same time. In 2023, the state amended the program law to exclude the decision to select schools Crown College and Northwestern University in St. Paul that required students to sign a statement of faith on their applications. The university is currently fighting the measure, saying it discriminates on the basis of religious movements.
Fox News Digital spoke to Diana Thomson from the Beckett Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing the school in the lawsuit against the state.
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A cross stands outside the church of Carjuacan in Mexico City, Mexico, on December 26, 2024, during the celebration of patron Saint San Juan Evangelista. (Photo by Gerardo Vieira/Nur Photo via Getty Images)
“The Supreme Court has said for the last 10 years, especially in the context of education, that the government doesn't have to fund private schools,” Thomson told Fox News Digital. “It runs public schools. It doesn't have to fund private schools, but once the government can't exclude religious schools based on religious status, religious movement. If you're trying to do what the Supreme Court said, and exclude religious schools from your education program.
The court alleges that officials singled out the practices of the two universities, calling statements of faith “suspicious” and saying, “The purpose of the amendments is to force Crown and Northwestern to abandon their statements of faith.” “I admitted that there was,” he claimed.
“One of the things we heard from legislators… in the discovery process… these other schools don't require a statement of faith. Why are Crown and Northwestern doing what they're doing? Why can't they adopt their religious beliefs?'' Thomson told Fox News.
“From proposal to passage, the amendment targeted Plaintiffs,” the lawsuit alleges. “Staff acknowledged that this proposal was motivated by objections to admission standards that require students to practice actively. [their] Christian faith. ” (Ex. 21at 1.) MDE wanted to eliminate messaging to potential students that they were not welcome to take PSEO courses. [the school’s] Biblical worldview. “(Reynolds.tr.1 132:8-133:19.)”
Thomson said the law “is about the separation of church and state; it's about choice.”
“It's about giving students a choice of where they want to go to school. Students are choosing to go to the University of Minnesota, a Minnesota public school that offers this program,” she said. “Some students want to choose a school that establishes a community that allows them to carry out their faith. That is what this program allows for. plug.”
If the provision passes, attorneys say families who send all their children to Crown and Northwestern will not have the same opportunities as younger children who want to earn dual enrollment credits.
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“I think it's important to understand that the government cannot exclude religious schools and organizations from participating in government programs, Thomson said. First fix. For the government to interfere with that is a blatant violation of the Constitution. ”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Minnesota Department of Education and the Commissioner's Office. They did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
