CONTACT:     STEVEN H. ADEN, 703-642-1070, x 3504
M. CASEY MATTOX, 703-642-1070, x 3505

CHRISTIAN STUDENT GROUP SUES ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOR DISCRIMINATION

Federal Lawsuit Claims ASU’s Nondiscrimination Policy Violates First Amendment

TEMPE, AZ – The Christian Legal Society (CLS) chapter at Arizona State University College of Law (ASU) filed a lawsuit today against school officials who demanded that the chapter and its members abide by the school’s “nondiscrimination” policy that would prevent the chapter from conditioning membership and choosing leadership on the basis of an individual’s agreement with the CLS “Statement of Faith.”

The school’s policy, found in the University’s Student Code of Conduct, forces the CLS chapter, and other campus religious groups to accept non-Christian members and officers. The policy applies whether or not the student group is registered by and receiving benefits from the University. Moreover, in order to receive status as a registered student organization, the organization’s leaders must pledge compliance with all provisions of the Student Code of Conduct, including the “nondiscrimination” provision. The federal civil rights lawsuit alleges that ASU is violating the First Amendment rights of expressive association, free speech and free exercise of religion of the CLS chapter and other campus religious groups by failing to exempt them from the “nondiscrimination” provision in the Student Code of Conduct. 

Through counsel at the Christian Legal Society’s Center for Law and Religious Freedom, the CLS chapter asked school officials in late September to exempt the group and other religious student organizations from the religion and sexual orientation portions of the “nondiscrimination” provision of the Student Code of Conduct.  The letter explained that anyone is welcome to attend chapter meetings and events, but that official members and leaders must agree to the CLS Statement of Faith, which is considered orthodox in both the Protestant and Catholic traditions. School officials denied the chapter’s request for an exemption, placing the chapter and its members in jeopardy of University sanctions under the Student Code of Conduct should they continue to require that members and leaders adhere to the Statement of Faith.

“Religious student organizations, like all other student organizations, should be able to come together around shared commitments,” stated Steven H. Aden, Chief Litigation Counsel for the Center for Law & Religious Freedom, located in Annandale, Virginia.  “It is unfortunate that Arizona State University has chosen to value political correctness over religious freedom.”

The Christian Legal Society’s Center for Law & Religious Freedom and the Alliance Defense Fund filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona on behalf of the plaintiffs.

The Christian Legal Society, founded in 1961, is the national membership organization of Christian attorneys, judges, law professors and law students, as well as supportive laypeople in all fifty states. They are organized in more than 1100 cities into attorney chapters, law student chapters, and fellowships throughout the United States.