Constitutional Law

Univ. pulls controversial definition of religious bias from website

By By The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO ? The University of California at Davis has eliminated from its website a definition of religious discrimination that offended more than two dozen Christian students.

The wording that the students objected to defined religious discrimination in the United States as "institutionalized oppressions toward those who are not Christian."

It appeared in an online glossary to a "Principles of Community" diversity statement. Students and students groups at Davis were asked to pledge their commitment to the principles.

The statement dates back to 1990, but the university's Office of Campus Community Relations estimates the definition was added six or seven years ago, campus spokesman Julia Ann Easley said on Feb. 17.

The office took down the 77-term glossary on Feb. 16 after the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative legal aid group, notified UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi that the language on religious discrimination violated the constitutional rights of Christian students who had complained to the organization.

"If everyone is protected under a religious discrimination provision except for Christians, that is in itself discriminatory," said fund attorney David French.

French said he found the choice of words ironic, since he thinks Christian students are at higher risk of bias on public college campuses than students from other religious backgrounds.

In a letter to ADF sent on Katehi's behalf, Associate Executive Vice Chancellor Rahim Reed, who heads the campus relations office, said that as far as he knew the glossary definition had never been used to address any cases of alleged discrimination.

"This glossary term creates the potential for misinterpretation of the university's view towards religious discrimination," Reed said. "For this reason it is not in keeping with the aspirations of the campus community or our Principles of Community."

Full post as published by First Amendment Center on February 19, 2011 (boomark / email).