A federal lawsuit filed against the University of Idaho on April 25 claims that the university has violated the rights of free speech and religious freedom of three students by punishing them for expressing their perspectives on marriage.

The three law students – Peter Perlot, Ryan Alexander, and Mark Miler — are members of the University of Idaho’s Christian Legal Society (CLS). While participating in an event to denounce a student’s use of an LGBT slur, they were approached by a fellow student who asked them why the CLS mandates its officers to proclaim that marriage involves one male and one female. One of the students answered that it is the one and only view of matrimony presented in the Bible. Following the incident, the three students received an order from the university that prohibited any form of contact between them and the student who approached them.

Christian Headlines reports about the students’ response to the rally:

One member responded that the chapter “requires this because it is the only view of marriage and sexuality affirmed in the Bible,” according to the suit.

Thereafter, a second CLS member “left a handwritten note for the student” and told her that he “would be happy to discuss this further” so they could “both fully be heard and better understand one another’s views,” the suit says.

The “no-contact” order from the university’s Office of Civil Rights and Investigations came in the days following the event.

“Instead of allowing the students to disagree civilly and respectfully with one another and to discuss these important issues, the University chose instead to censor Plaintiffs,” the suit says.

Read the full article here.

 

Photo: Administration Building, University of Idaho – Davidlharlan/CCA 3.0

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