A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed Seattle Pacific University’s lawsuit that sought to stop Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s investigation into the school’s hiring practices.
Ferguson in late July confirmed his office was investigating the university for potential illegal discrimination against LGBTQ people due to the school’s employment policies. His announcement came after SPU — a private school associated with the Free Methodist Church — sued Ferguson, claiming his probe aims to influence the university “in its application and understanding of church teaching.” In late August, Ferguson filed to dismiss the lawsuit.
De acuerdo a un comunicado de prensa from the attorney general’s office, the federal judge ruled SPU’s arguments — which claim Ferguson’s probe infringes on the university’s First Amendment right “to govern itself according to religious principles” — should be raised in state court. The judge said SPU asked for a change in state law the federal court cannot grant.
The attorney general is continuing with its investigation.
Ferguson, in a statement, said his office “respects the religious views of all Washingtonians and the constitutional rights afforded to religious institutions.”
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However, he added, SPU “is not above the law.”
“Instead of answering questions about its hiring process, the university filed a federal lawsuit arguing that it is above the law to such an extraordinary degree that my office cannot even send it a letter asking for information about its employment policies,” Ferguson said.
SPU’s interim president, Pete Menjares, said in a declaración that he was disappointed by the ruling, but he added that the court “did not decide whether the state can investigate our university’s internal affairs.”
“We will continue to defend ourselves from unlawful interference with our Christian mission,” Menjares said.
Ferguson’s filing in August revealed that, in May, hundreds of Washington state residents wrote to his office to complain about the school’s employment practices “and to express concern that the University discriminates against faculty and staff on the basis of sexual orientation.”
During that time, students staged a more than monthlong sit-in beginning in late May to protest the board of trustees’ decision to retain a policy barring the hiring of LGBTQ people.
El problema es la política de expectativas de estilo de vida de los empleados de la escuela que establece, en parte, que "se espera que los empleados se abstengan de un comportamiento sexual que sea inconsistente con la comprensión de la Universidad de los estándares bíblicos, incluida la cohabitación, la actividad sexual extramatrimonial y la actividad sexual entre personas del mismo sexo".
The nonprofit law firm Becket is representing SPU.
Lori Windham, Becket’s vice president and senior counsel, said the “court did not rule on the attorney general’s unlawful investigation.”
“We will continue to defend SPU’s right to express its faith in all aspects of university life,” Windham said in a declaración.
Alejandra Molina es reportera nacional de Religion News Service.
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4 Respuestas
Of course a federal judge in this region is going to rule against religious freedom. SPU has every right, and legal freedom, to implement the hiring policies that align with their Christian principles. These judges are just enemies of the Constitution, God and the Scriptures.
Not if they are receiving federal funds. If SPU is solely privately funded, then they can do as they wish. The moment they take ANY federal funds – including federal student loans – they MUST comply with federal laws, which include not discriminating based on sexual orientation.
I have mixed feelings on this: I support private universities upholding their beliefs (even those I disagree with, like BYU), but there’s a fine line. Remember when Oral Roberts University didn’t allow interracial dating – under the guise of “religious freedom”? That’s a NO. Glad that got shut down.
Was that Oral Roberts University or Bob Jones University?
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/marchweb-only/53.0.html
Indeed. Chaucer said it,”Therfore bihoveth hire a ful long spoon
That shal ete with a feend,’ thus herde I seye..” (It well behooves him take a lengthy spoon
Who eats with Devils,’ so I’ve heard folk say.) The Squire’s Tale, Canterbury Tales