School yanks discrimination definition

School yanks religious discrimination definition [Excerpts]

The University of California-Davis agreed [February 17, 2011] to either revise or eliminate its definition of "religious discrimination" that characterized Christians as oppressors of non-Christians. Alliance Defense Fund reports that in a letter received from the school Wednesday, UC Davis reported that the webpage containing a glossary of terms defining the Principles of Community "has been taken down to permit further review" -- and that if the glossary returns, "this definition will be appropriately revised."

Christians at the University of California-Davis (UC Davis) are fighting a discriminatory policy that singles them out as religious oppressors.

The university has issued a policy statement, asking students to adhere to its definition of "community." David French, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), tells OneNewsNow the Christians on campus have discovered that the school's policy, which defines "religious/spiritual discrimination" as "the loss of power and privilege to those who do not practice the dominant culture's religion," does not protect them from religious discrimination as -- in his words -- it is "institutionalized oppressions toward those who are not Christian."

"Religious discrimination can only occur in UC Davis' mind if it is directed against someone who's not a Christian," French summarizes. "If you're a Christian student [who gets] tossed out of class because your atheist professor doesn't like you, well, good for him; you're the oppressor, apparently. Or if a Christian group is denied equal access to campus...that's not religious discrimination in the university's eyes."

So ADF decides the policy is "blatantly unconstitutional" on the federal and state level.

"If a Muslim or a Hindu student faces discrimination, well then they're fully protected by the principles of 'community,'" the attorney points out. "It's a really astonishing, biased viewpoint [and a] discriminatory, unconstitutional, unlawful policy."

French goes on to note that evangelical Christians are usually the ones who face discrimination, as his group deals with a number of those cases on a regular basis.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=1295940