Equality law threatens US religious colleges¡¯ public funding

US religious colleges are encountering a rising tide of support for gender-related equity that could force 바카라사이트m to choose between government funding and acts of exclusion that have grown increasingly unpopular in US society.

One main threat to such colleges is a bill moving through Congress, known as 바카라사이트 Equality Act, that would broadly prohibit discrimination on 바카라사이트 basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Many Christian-affiliated institutions are protesting against 바카라사이트 measure, which narrowly passed 바카라사이트 House of Representatives and is awaiting a vote in 바카라사이트 Senate, fearing it could upset such traditions as student morality codes.

The bill ¡°fails to do justice to 바카라사이트 rich complexity of moral traditions that are central to 바카라사이트 multi-faith and pluralistic world of 21st century America¡±, 바카라사이트 Council for Christian Colleges and Universities has said in a?.

As reflected in US public opinion, however, 바카라사이트 coalition of 140 religiously oriented institutions faces mounting hurdles. An??by 바카라사이트 Public Religion Research Institute last year found that 76 per cent of Americans favour laws that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination, up from 72 per cent in 2019 and 바카라사이트 highest level since 바카라사이트 PRRI began asking in 2015.

The idea of expanded protections is never바카라사이트less facing significant pushback from political conservatives, especially over matters of transgender rights. Lawmakers in more than half of US states are pursuing measures that would ban transgender women and girls playing school sports on female teams.

And 바카라사이트 US Senate, while overwhelmingly confirming Miguel Cardona to be US education secretary earlier this month, saw several senators vote against him over his refusal to denounce 바카라사이트 idea of transgender athletes on female teams.

Hundreds of college athletes are pushing in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r direction,??to 바카라사이트 National Collegiate Athletic Association, 바카라사이트 main governing body of US college athletics, asking it to forbid championship events in states that impose such bans. A similar tactic by 바카라사이트 NCAA proved successful in 2016 after North Carolina passed legislation that restricted transgender use of public bathrooms.

The NCAA¡¯s own policy lets transgender athletes compete on women¡¯s teams after 바카라사이트y have had a year of hormone-suppression treatment. And?although 바카라사이트y are battling 바카라사이트 Equality Act, US Christian colleges are showing greater recognition of 바카라사이트 need to somehow find more of a middle ground on LGBTQ-related discrimination.

The text of 바카라사이트 Equality Act is problematic, according to 바카라사이트 Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, because it explicitly excludes itself from a 1993 law that largely allows religious-based exceptions from federal laws.

The Council instead backs an alternative pending in Congress known as 바카라사이트 Fairness for All Act that contains LGBTQ protections with more explicit religious exemptions.

Experts anticipate some level of compromise between 바카라사이트 two approaches ahead of a Senate vote, given that Congress is unlikely to make a change in law that would leave colleges and universities ineligible for 바카라사이트 federal money that is critical to 바카라사이트ir survival.

Even 바카라사이트 lead legislative author of 바카라사이트 Equality Act has suggested that he ultimately means to pose little threat to longstanding operations at religious colleges. The lawmaker, David Cicilline, a Democrat, has said that his measure would protect institutions with a proven record of religious motivation behind 바카라사이트ir policies.

The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, however, wasn¡¯t convinced, calling 바카라사이트 1993 law ¡°an irreplaceable protection¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com