After protests from a student group, the University of California at
Davis has withdrawn a school policy that implied Christians were the
only perpetrators of “religious discrimination” in the U.S.
The university's Office of Campus Relations issued a “Principles of
Community Glossary” that defined “religious/spiritual discrimination” as
“(t)he loss of power and privilege to those who do not practice the
dominant culture’s religion. In the United States, this is
institutionalized oppressions toward those who are not Christian.”
The Alliance Defense Fund – a Christian legal alliance – reported
that affiliated attorney Timothy J. Swickard wrote the university on
Feb. 16 on behalf of 25 students who found policy offensive. UC Davis
responded the same day, stating that the student's concerns were noted
and that the language was removed until further consideration.
In his letter to the school, Swickard argued that it was “patently
clear” that UC Davis’s definition of religious discrimination was
“blatantly unconstitutional” under both the Federal and California State
Constitutions.
“The policy singles out certain faiths for official school protection
from discrimination while denying the same protection to others solely
on the basis of their particular religious views,” he wrote.
Citing research, Swickard called the policy “simply nonsensical”
given the environment “on most University campuses where Christian
students, if anything, are among the most likely to be subjected to
discrimination because of their faith.”
CU Davis’ Associate Executive Vice-Chancellor Rahim Reed said that
the webpage containing the glossary “has been taken down to permit
further review of the terms used there and their continuing utility.”
Reed also said that because the religious discrimination definition
“is not in keeping with the aspirations of the campus community or our
Principles of Community,” if the glossary returns, “this definition will
be appropriately revised.”
The associate vice-chancellor went on to say that the “Principles of
Community are not University policy” but “an aspiration to each member
of our campus to strive to build a true community of spirit and purpose
based upon mutual respect and caring.”
Swickard released a statement on Feb. 17, praising the university’s “prompt and forthright response.”
“We greatly look forward to UC Davis’s newly stated community
aspiration to protect all students – including Christian students – from
unlawful discrimination on campus,” he said.