Ohio State University: Refusal to Allow Religious Clubs to Decide Membership Based on Religious Belief

Case Materials

• "Victory for Religious Freedom at Ohio State," FIRE Press Release, October 4, 2004: The Ohio State University is changing a "nondiscrmination" policy that prohibited religious student organizations from making critical decisions based on religious criteria. The decision came after FIRE wrote to Ohio State on behalf of a broad interfaith coalition of Muslim and Christian student organizations. FIRE’s effort coincided with that of the Christian Legal Society, which had already filed a lawsuit asserting the same claims against Ohio State.
• "Letter from the Office for Civil Rights to Ohio State University, September 13, 2004," September 13, 2004
• "FIRE Letter to Ohio State University President Karen A. Holbrook, August 20, 2004," August 20, 2004

Media Coverage

• "Campus Left to Christians, Conservatives: Shut Up!," Mark Tapscott, Townhall.com, December 24, 2005: Take California State University at San Bernadino, for example, where administrators refuse to charter the Christian Students Association because the group thinks its members should be professing Christians. Imagine that!