UPDATE: Federal judge agrees to expedite religious freedom lawsuit against Biden admin.
A federal judge allowed a college's lawsuit against a Biden administration's 'Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation' to be expedited.
The lawsuit contends that the administration 'forces religious schools to violate their beliefs by opening their dormitories, including dorm rooms and shared shower spaces, to members of the opposite sex.'
A federal judge has agreed to expedite arguments in a lawsuit against the Biden administration by the College of the Ozarks, which claims the government is discriminating against religious schools.
As reported by Campus Reform, President Joe Biden signed an executive order titled “Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation,” which states that “children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room, or school sports.”
Judge Roseann Ketchmark, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, decided to allow the executive order to continue, despite College of the Ozark’s request to halt it, the Washington Times reports.
The college filed a lawsuit with the Alliance Defending Freedom in April challenging this executive order, claiming the executive order “forces religious schools to violate their beliefs.”
“The lawsuit challenges a directive from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which forces religious schools to violate their beliefs by opening their dormitories, including dorm rooms and shared shower spaces, to members of the opposite sex,” the college’s April 15 press release states.
The document adds, “The directive accomplishes this by requiring entities covered by the Fair Housing Act to not ‘discriminate’ based on sexual orientation or gender identity.”
[RELATED: WVU paid LGBTQ+ students to make their own intersectionality training]
Accordingly, the college’s lawsuit explains, “For decades, the College has prohibited male students from living in female dormitories, and vice versa, regardless of whether those students identify with their biological sex.”
The text also mentions the school’s policy to “[separate] intimate spaces such as showers and bathrooms in its dormitories. The College regularly makes statements communicating these same policies, including this month as it arranges student housing for the fall.”
The new decision to expedite arguments in the case came down from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on July 21, and arguments are set to begin during a November session of the court.
Campus Reform reached out to the College of the Ozarks but did not receive a response.
