In 2005, five Calvary Chapel Christian School students, and the Association of Christian Schools International filed suit against several employees of the University of California system.
The plaintiffs said that the university’s admissions process developed by the employees, which restricts the use of certain textbooks, violates the (First Amendment) Free Speech, Free Exercise, Establishment and Equal Protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution.
The judge in the 9th Circuit Court decided for the University of California on the 8th of August. An appeal has already been filed.
The ruling: Association of Christian Schools International v. Roman Stearns
III. RULING
Because Plaintiffs fail to raise any genuine issue of material fact to support their as-applied claims, Defendants’ Motion is GRANTED.
Some homeschooling families may find the case relevant because of the textbooks in question: Bob Jones, A Beka, Grace Baptist and Calvary Baptist.
For background, see: University of California at Riverside’s pro and con related to homeschooling.
One curious comment I saw in looking at news reports about the decision was at:
Judge Rules California University Has Right to Reject Christian Courses for Admission Requirements, LifeSiteNews.com
To Ian Slatter, representing the Home School Legal Defense Association, the UC system’s victory came as little surprise. He declined to comment as to whether the new court ruling could pose a significant threat to the homeschooling agenda.
Kudos to Mr. Slatter.
What does the writer mean by “a significant threat to the homeschooling agenda?” What “homeschooling agenda?” If there is some agenda, I didn’t get the memo.
The case wasn’t about homeschooling (plaintiffs were students of a school, and the school itself), plus homeschooling families don’t all use the same materials (which is ‘kinda the point of homeschooling’)
Other reports on the decision are at:
- Judge says UC can deny religious course credit, San Francisco Chronicle
- Murrieta Christian school loses case against UC, Los Angeles Times
- Victory in California creationism case, National Center for Science Education
- Is UC Trying to Secularize Education? University Gets Favorable Ruling, The Wall Street Journal Law Blog
- Judge Says University Can Deny Course Credit to Christian Graduates Taught With Creationism Texts, Fox News
- Judge Rejects Christian Schools’ Complaint of Bias in U. of California Decisions on Courses, The Chronicle of Higher Education News Blog
HEM
Helen
Tracy
mark
marynix
ann-lahrson-fisher
valerie
sandi
david
Where’s Dana’s comment? I got the email from the blog, but I don’t see anything here. [mutters something unflatting about how 'easy' computers are going to make our lives] [stomps off to the 'back room' to look for Dana's comment]
[emerges from 'back room']
Sorry, Dana, but the comment is gone, vanished, utterly eradicated without a trace. I’m pasting it from the email. If you don’t want it here, let me know and I’ll pop its little bubble.
Posted on behalf of Dana:
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I have a homeschooling agenda. Now if I could only find it, maybe I’d know what I’m supposed to be doing next week.
I read that quote earlier, and thought it was interesting. Just a guess, but it sounds like it was a poorly worded question on the part of whoever called Mr. Slatter for comment.
Since there are ways around the requirement by scoring well on the SAT, I’m wondering if it will have any affect at all on homeschoolers? I confess complete ignorance regarding UCs admission standards for homeschooling, but isn’t it fairly typical for universities to place more emphasis on SAT scores for homeschooled applicants, along with the interview process?