A federal court ruled that Christian universities don’t have the right to house students in dorms that align with their biological sex.
Following a Biden executive order, The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a directive ordering that protections to prevent sex-based discrimination must be expanded to include sexual identity and gender orientation in order to comply with the Fair Housing Act.
The College of the Ozarks challenged the order in a lawsuit in 2021. The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) defended the Christian college in the case.
ADF argued that the order violated the school’s religious liberty by forcing the college to open “their dormitories, including dorm rooms and shared shower spaces, to members of the opposite sex.”
In a July 27 ruling, the court decided that the college lacked standing to sue and tossed the case.
ADF senior counsel Matt Bowman told Campus Reform, “While we are disappointed about the decision, we will continue to advocate for College of the Ozark’s freedom to operate and educate students consistent with its faith-based mission.”
He added, “College of the Ozarks will continue to follow that mission and serve its students well.”
The Christian college’s mission statement affirms that the school exists to “develop citizens of Christlike character who are well-educated, hard-working, and patriotic.”