Apparently praying on campus at the College of Alameda in California will earn you an expulsion from the school.
The Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), which has a different take on the issue, is filing a lawsuit in support of two students currently facing expulsion from the school for exercising their 1st amendment rights. According to PJI’s Brad Dacus:
“In fact, students were actually praying for an instructor who was ill, and this instructor welcomed and wanted them to pray for her. They were quickly ostracized and told not to pray and that such praying was not allowed on campus.”
“These college students got a written notice of intent to suspend them from campus because of their praying. Since when does praying for a sick teacher to get well — with her consent — earn a suspension?”
“Make no mistake, we at the Pacific Justice Institute will take this case as far and as high as we need to make sure that students across the country are not reprimanded or forced to leave campus simply because they’re praying.”
Response: The fact that praying is being placed in the same category as criminal action at this college should cause us some concern—particularly those of us who are California tax payers supporting this school. Does the 1st amendment apply everywhere in the country except at the College of Alameda? One is free to practice their religion anywhere but there?
It is the administrators of this college that need to be expelled, not these students exercising their God given constitutional rights. This is actually tantamount to religious persecution perpetrated in a country that is supposed to have freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution–on a campus that is supposed to allow freedom of speech–except that which is addressed to God?
I wonder what the founders of this country would think of this case?