Should Government publish info on schools allowed to discriminate against LGBT students?

Wouldn't you like to know if the university you or your children were planning to attend is going to legally discriminate against you for being LGBT?

Here's the deal:

Higher education institutions that receive federal funds for research or financial aid are barred from discriminating on the basis of sex under Title IX, the 1972 law that originally was used to open men's colleges to women and to create more athletic opportunities for women at co-ed schools.

Colleges controlled by religious organizations always have been eligible to seek exemptions from Title IX. More than 190 representing both Christian and Jewish denominations received the waivers from the mid-1970s through the late 1990s, seeking permission, for example, to only hire male teachers for certain positions or to sanction students or employees who had sex outside marriage.

I have no problems with this. If a university wants to apply for an exemption to protect their "religious freedom" that's fine and nobody is claiming they shouldn't be allowed to do this. Increasingly, however, applicants for these exemptions have openly sought to ban or discriminate against LGBT students or faculty while the schools continue to receive federal money and grants.

The call has gone out not to ban exemptions or to deny federal monies to these schools that have exemptions for their discrimination but rather in the name of transparency, to maintain a public, searchable website that shows the schools that have been granted these waivers.

My personal opinion on the matter differs slightly. Why should any of my tax dollars go to organizations where institutionalized discrimination is legally allowed? I'm not saying religion should be banned or that people can't practice and believe whatever they want or that they can't run universities that cater to their beliefs but I am less than thrilled that my government is subsidizing them with federal funds and grants.

The least we can do is publicize information about these schools that have been granted waivers so more information is available about them and their discriminatory practices so people can decide for themselves when making informed higher education decisions. I'm not the only one that thinks so:

Senators unite requesting government publish info on schools allowed to discriminate



Hey, that Bernie Sanders fellow might be after my vote?

Here more reading on the subject:

Associated Press: Religious colleges seek waivers on transgender students

Waivers Allowing Christian Schools To Ban LGBT Students Spike In 2015

HRC Calls on Department of Education to Take Action Following Anti-LGBT Religious Exemption Requests

10 Shocking Facts About the Alliance Defending Freedom

Publishing a list of these schools is all anybody is asking for and that seems innocent enough to me. I'm sure though that some will raise issues about it as somehow being part of the "progressive liberal left atheist agenda" or as an attempt to remove religious freedoms and of course, you have every right to believe and express that but the name calling and partisanship does get a little old after a while.

So, is making this information easily accessible to the public and those trying to decide what colleges to attend helpful or the further downfall of society toward a godless life in hell?

I'd be more interested in whether the school is concerned with spending their resources education my children or catering to special interest groups.

The gay community will have every right to shun and shame them. It is rather pathetic after all.

a reply to: Freija

Intolerance and bigotry is a natural inhibitor of social evolution and only through proper education and knowledge can a society collectively advance and therefore survive. The LGBT community deserves to have a voice in modern society no more or less so than any other community that exists within a modern society and their voice should not be discriminated against.

What needs to happen is an audit on the root cause of why these schools feel it necessary and appropriate to discriminate in the first instance. I'm betting it has something to do with a lack of education and knowledge on the subject matter.

originally posted by: PresidentCamacho
I'd be more interested in whether the school is concerned with spending their resources education my children or catering to special interest groups.

Educating or indoctrinating them in the ways of prejudice and discrimination? Some people might think that is a little sad.

a reply to: Sublimecraft

I agree completely with what you're saying but religious/moral dogma is the root cause and I find it hard to believe that any amount of information or knowledge is going to change that much. I also don't think it is practical to assume religious organizations are somehow going to magically embrace LBGT issues nor do I think they should be forced to.

I do think the funding and grants supporting these universities and their discriminatory practices should be more closely examined. Perhaps just more public awareness of their policies will lead to diminished enrollments which could be a simple and non-intrusive place to start?

originally posted by: PresidentCamacho
I'd be more interested in whether the school is concerned with spending their resources education my children or catering to special interest groups.

How is restricting the practice of discrimination "catering"?

So discrimination is the neutral, default stance for you?

originally posted by: Freija

originally posted by: PresidentCamacho
I'd be more interested in whether the school is concerned with spending their resources education my children or catering to special interest groups.

Educating or indoctrinating them in the ways of prejudice and discrimination? Some people might think that is a little sad.

As opposed to all the other ways colleges and universities are indoctrinating students?

Safe spaces.

The "right" to not be offended.

Torch the 1st amendment so nobody can bother your feels.

Yes plz,'its already legal in certain states to discriminate againts gays, would be nice to know where not to send the future generation.

a reply to: Shamrock6

But that isn't what this is about...

I agree safe spaces are ridiculous but colleges encouraging people to stand up for them selfs is not.
And I have never been told I have the right to not be offended in college
/shrug

originally posted by: Shamrock6
The "right" to not be offended.

Torch the 1st amendment so nobody can bother your feels.

Oh please. Kind of a stretch don't you think?

Paranoid much?

originally posted by: Freija

originally posted by: Shamrock6
The "right" to not be offended.

Torch the 1st amendment so nobody can bother your feels.

Oh please. Kind of a stretch don't you think?

Paranoid much?

Ahh. How quaint. Straight into the ridicule I see.

No, it's not paranoid. I recall the video of a college professor trying to force a journalist to leave a safe space pretty clearly. It's not paranoia when it actually happens, chief.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Could you stay on topic, plz and ty.

a reply to: Sremmos80

It's not hard to figure it out. I found a list in about 3 seconds on the google. The vast majority of schools on the list are OBVIOUSLY religious schools.

So what it's about is trying to "out" religious schools for being religious. You want to go after their federal grant money, that's fine and dandy. But this is nothing more than asking for list of religious schools that are not bowing their belief system to social justice warriors.

originally posted by: dukeofjive696969
a reply to: Shamrock6

Could you stay on topic, plz and ty.

I replied to something stated in the OP. That's on topic.

What have you done that's on topic?

You're welcome.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Go read up what i posted, if you need a hand to find it let me know

a reply to: Freija

Wouldn't you like to know if the university you or your children were planning to attend is going to legally discriminate against you for being LGBT?

No.

I am not gay so I don't care.

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: Freija

Wouldn't you like to know if the university you or your children were planning to attend is going to legally discriminate against you for being LGBT?

No.

I am not gay so I don't care.

Im not gay either, but i dont need to send my kids to a school that teaches bigotry. thanks for coming by

Absolutely, people should know if the institution they plan on attending will be a welcoming environment for them. Ideally, at least.

The problem with publishing a list of these schools is that they might very well come under a lot of heavy fire from LGBT activists. Personally, I think that everyone should have the freedom to practice their beliefs, and if those beliefs do not include LGBT people, then they shouldn't be forced to include people whom they don't want to. If they are identified as upholding their religious values at the expense of welcoming LGBT people, they may face bankruptcy and closure as a result. A lot of people would be liable to lose their jobs. Although I do not understand why an LGBT person would want to attend such an institution, surely it'd be better to just live and let live, and go to a school which doesn't have these biases.

I think the biggest issue here is that religious institutions are receiving federal funding. If they are receiving federal funding, then they should definitely have their attitudes made clear to all prospective students. Private institutions can do what they want, but those that are federally funded should adhere to anti-discrimination laws.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: Sremmos80

It's not hard to figure it out. I found a list in about 3 seconds on the google. The vast majority of schools on the list are OBVIOUSLY religious schools.

So what it's about is trying to "out" religious schools for being religious. You want to go after their federal grant money, that's fine and dandy. But this is nothing more than asking for list of religious schools that are not bowing their belief system to social justice warriors.

Oh, so I see you finally read enough to better almost understand what this is about? Nobody but me said anything about going after the grant money and nobody is forcing schools to bow to social justice warriors or not discriminate against LGBT people. When you called out "safe spaces" and the first amendment, that WAS kind of a stretch and nothing to do with the OP.

All that is being asked is that the Department of Education publish a list of these universities that have been granted exemption to discriminate to make it easier so those making decisions about what school to apply to can avoid them if discrimination and prejudice bothers them. This is okay with some people and if they want to segregate themselves into their own shrinking little world of intolerance, that's fine with me. It doesn't do much for helping them adapt to the real world and these isolated special little snowflakes (sorry, I just had to say that) aren't going to do anything but grow up and propagate more discrimination and prejudice.

But hey, I would never think to infringe on their rights to do so.