In huge news for faith-based education, a group of Christian parents in Tim Walz’s Minnesota have banded together to challenge a Minnesota law that they claim discriminates against faith-based education. The law prohibits some faith-based universities from offering, through the state’s pre-college program for college credits, those credits to high school students.
The case that they have brought, Loe v. Jett, the Christian parents and schools that decided to fight alongside them against the rule sued Minnesota over the requirement that those schools that offer credits to high school students cannot require them to sign a statement of faith. Those schools that do require a statement of faith are excluded from Minnesota’s Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program, meaning that many faith-based colleges and the students who want to obtain credits through them are excluded. The rule prohibiting those colleges from participating was put into effect by Gov. Walz last year.
That is a big problem because it places more restrictions on students who place an emphasis on their faith and, under the PSEO program, which has been in effect for about 4 decades, want to earn college credit for free while in high school. Under the PSEO program, high school juniors and seniors can, if they can get into the classes, attend an eligible private or public school of their choice for free, earning college credits ahead of time and saving money in the process.
The parents who chose to challenge the anti-statement of faith statement are Melinda and Mark Loe and Dawn Erickson. The Loes, commenting on the suit, said, Becket Law, the firm helping them sue, reported, “We raise our children to put their faith at the center of everything they do. Unfortunately, Minnesota is depriving kids like ours of the opportunity to get a head start on college at schools that embrace their faith. We hope the court will strike this law down and protect all religious students and the schools they want to attend.”
The schools they want their children to be able to attend are the University of Northwestern-St. Paul and Crown College. Both of those schools are well-regarded Christian schools that place an emphasis on faith and, as such, require students who attend classes on-campus to sign a statement of faith. Because of that requirement, they are prohibited from participating in the PSEO program.
Corbin Hoornbeek, the president of the University of Northwestern-St. Paul, commented on the case and said, “For over a century, Northwestern has existed to offer students a Christ-centered education that prepares them to serve in the home, church, community, and the world. Minnesota wants to single out our university because of this unique campus culture which integrates faith and learning. We pray the court will recognize that and continue to allow us to help on-campus PSEO students flourish in their faith and education.”
Similarly, Andrew Denton, the president of Crown College, spoke on the matter of the PSEO program and said, “Crown College is committed to providing all our students the tools they need to excel intellectually and spiritually through our biblically-integrated education. For decades, we have been grateful to extend this opportunity to young students who seek to join our Christian community through the PSEO program. We pray that the court will continue to allow every student in Minnesota to use PSEO funds at the school that best meets their needs and matches their values.”
Eric Baxter, the vice president and senior counsel at Becket, which is helping bring the suit, commented on the matter as well, saying, “Politicians in St. Paul are slamming the door on thousands of high schoolers who want to get a head start on college simply because they’re religious. That’s disgraceful: the state should be helping educate its students, not cutting them off from opportunities that will allow them to grow. We’re confident the court will strike down Minnesota’s ban for good.”
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