Minnesota’s bid to prohibit Christian colleges from providing free credits to religious high school students has been halted by the court.

Christian Colleges in Minnesota Win Injunction Against Discrimination

Christian colleges in Minnesota have scored a victory in their fight against discrimination. The Minnesota District Court has issued an injunction that prevents the enforcement of an amendment allowing discrimination against religious students.

Minnesota’s Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program, established in 1985, allows capable high school students to earn college credits for free at local institutions of higher education. This program has benefited thousands of students, and other states have followed suit.

However, an amendment passed during the 2023 legislative session removed religious colleges from the program. It prohibited these schools from requiring a statement of faith from students during the application process or using religious beliefs as a basis for admission decisions.

“It makes sense that religious schools would want to note the religious background of the applicants, and I think they have the right to do that,” said Noelle Dolan, a Christian school and PSEO program alumna.

In response, Becket Law filed a federal suit on behalf of two Christian homeschool families and two Christian colleges. The suit argued that the amendment violated the plaintiffs’ religious beliefs and was therefore unconstitutional.

The district court has now issued a preliminary injunction in the case, preventing the enforcement of the amendment until the legal proceedings are concluded.

The Minnesota Department of Education supports the amendment, stating that no students should be discriminated against based on their religion. However, the plaintiffs and their supporters hope that the court will ultimately strike down the law.

“We are glad that Minnesota has agreed not to punish our children and many students like them for wanting to learn at schools that reflect their values,” said Mark and Melinda Loe, plaintiffs in the case. “They should be able to pursue the same great opportunities as all other students in the state without politicians getting in the way.”

About the Author

Samuel Boehlke is a rising senior in Mass Communication/Law and Policy at Concordia University Wisconsin and a current intern at The Federalist. He is the Web Editor for CUW’s The Beacon and the External Affairs Editor for Quaestus Journal. You can reach him at [email protected] or by DMs @vaguelymayo.