[seastay]

This is a very important issue for California since the popularity of private Christian high schools are increasing, as many US citizens are opting out of public schools which in this part of the state, for example LA half or more of the children are illegal, don’t speak English, drop out of high school. No parent wants to send their child where they don’t teach education, compared to the Christian High schools that have a high rate of college bound students if they have the choice. Christian High Schools in California are much better than the public schools, as even admitted here by the UC s own lawyer;

“Christopher Patti, a UC lawyer, said that in the last four years, 32 students from Calvary Chapel have applied for UC schools, and 24 were admitted.”

That’s 75%, better than any public school. Perhaps the UC is just trying to reach some quota to limit Christian students, in favor of an affirmative action plan to boost other religions represented in the school?

“Nassirian said he sees the lawsuit's proponents as attempting to win an academic debate outside the academic world. “

This is a lawsuit attempting to win the fair admission of the Christian children. Because students who studied other religions as part of their high school course work such as Buddhism and Judaism were allowed to enroll, while they have rejected the Christian perspective. The lawsuit is based on an unfair advantage discriminated by religion.

Seems the university is hiding behind the creationism front as a week point to attack Christians whom don’t have a united stand on evolution. For example if they bluntly said young adults with a Christian background are not favored, that would look bad, but if they hide behind those who believe in creationism as junk science, as an affront to the true motive to weed out Christianity, then they are home free to spin an affirmative action issue as a science issue that doesn’t belong in the courts.

[CheyennePress]

"“Nassirian said he sees the lawsuit's proponents as attempting to win an academic debate outside the academic world."

What a pedantic, conceited, elitist twit.

Neither these students nor those who are representing them are suing to force the teaching of ID at any UC. Nor are they engaging in debate. They're simply asking that their courswork not be discrminated against based upon their viewpoint.

And if these high school students are getting UC credit for their work, they're still having to take the national standardized AP Biology test. And if not, they're probably required to take a biology course just how the UCs like them during their years there. That is, unless, the UCs have watered down their distribution requirements with gender identity courses.

[jennyp]

I don't know about the history & literature courses, perhaps they have a point there. But it certainly would be professional malfeasance if the university counted a creationist biology course towards admission. This is true whether the applicant learned their bogus biology in a Christian school, Jewish school, or Muslim school.

[mlc9852]

Why not just attend a Christian college? I do believe there is a bias against Christianity in many public colleges so why give them your money?

[The Red Zone]

"Christianity's Influence on American History"

Sounds like yer social studies to me. UC are bigots.

[The Red Zone]

This is a lawsuit attempting to win the fair admission of the Christian children. Because students who studied other religions as part of their high school course work such as Buddhism and Judaism were allowed to enroll, while they have rejected the Christian perspective. The lawsuit is based on an unfair advantage discriminated by religion.

I guess UC thinks they learn all this in church so it don't count?

[Roots]

To make a correct correlation between the Christianity class and Jewish and Buddhist classes I'd have to ask - is "Christianity's Influence on American History" trying to be counted as an "American History" requirement? Are the Jewish and Buddhist courses counted as "American History" or "World History" requirements or are they categorized into "Religious studies" where other, more "proper" classes were taken to meet the history requirements?

IMHO, all 3 of these courses should not be counted or "substituted" unless a competency test is passed... if you know the basic material necessary, that's all that really matters.

[VOA]

How in the world can these kids get a proper education if they don't
get the UC-approved "Revisionist History According To Liberal
Union Members (Teachers)"?
(end sarcasm)

[muir_redwoods]

"UC lawyers say Calvary Chapel students are free to study as they choose, but they still must take courses approved by the university system – or alternately take an SAT subject test – to gain admission to one of the UC's 10 campuses."

Assuming that this rule is applied fairly and objectively, (a significant assumption, I recognize) it makes perfect sense to me. Even though arabs invented it, I would not accept a heavily dosed "islamic Algebra" course for credit.

If the Christian schools provide objectively equal or superior courses to secular schools and it can be demonstrated as such, then obviously the students are as well prepared. If courses like biology, history and social studies are heavily dosed with fundamental Christian teaching to the point where they are basically courses taught to instill Christian beliefs rather than the purported subject matter, then the students are not demonstrably prepared and an SAT subject test is in order.

[timestax]

[narby]

UC lawyers say Calvary Chapel students are free to study as they choose, but they still must take courses approved by the university system – or alternately take an SAT subject test

So they should just take the SAT. What's the problem?

[Hacksaw]

Courses titled "Special Providence: American Government," and "Christianity and Morality in American Literature," were also rejected.

Sorry nutcases, but the lawsuit isn't just about your favorite boogeyman, ID - it helps sometimes to read the article and have an idea what you are talking about. But it is also nice you see y'all side with the libs again. In fact, earlier articles about this gave short mention to ID which makes me think it is being used as a strawman to justify this discrimination.

[2ndreconmarine]

but they still must take courses approved by the university system – or alternately take an SAT subject test – to gain admission

That is the critical issue. The students can simply take the SAT test. If they pass, it will be no problem.

I have a suspicion that these "students" either did not take the SATs at all or scored very low. Indeed, I would want to know what their SAT math and verbal scores were. (Even for our diehard creationists, math and english should not be affected by creationist beliefs).

These "students" probably had 400s on their SAT math and verbal tests and are using this "discrimination" as a way to overcome their low academic standing.

That being the case, this lawsuit is identical to those who have asked for affirmative action in the past. Once again, we find that creationists are more like liberals.

[Antonello]

One would think the parents of students attending a BJU feeder school would have preferred their kids to go to BJU to continue that train of education.

[mdmathis6]

""You cannot get a victory in court on science, as Galileo learned," he said"


This man seems to have a poor grasp of history...it was Galileo who ran afoul of church teachings and got himself in trouble with the ecclesiatical rulers(the inquisition) of the day.

[MRMEAN]

Seems the university is hiding behind the creationism front as a week point to attack Christians whom don’t have a united stand on evolution.

Well of course "Creation Science" is an oxymoron, and any self-respecting institution of higher education will give zero credit for any course based on that. And the Christian students are being given the opportunity to take a test to demonstrate knowledge in the subject matter. For a private university, I would say that the UC administrators were spot-on. But UC is a government institution, which raises all sorts of church-state issues.

My solution: Shut down government universities and colleges. Then at Bible-Thumber U those students who want to can study Snake-Handling 101. At Darwin U they can study the evolution of venomous snakes. Everybody happy.

[spinestein]

[Courses titled "Special Providence: American Government," and "Christianity and Morality in American Literature," were also rejected. The lawsuit argues it is unfair these courses were nixed while others titled "Western Civilization: The Jewish Experience," and "Intro to Buddhism," were approved.]



If this is correct, then this case is about religious discrimination.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

"I think the university has the right to require entering students to have a foundation on the subjects the university thinks help provide a preparation for higher education," he said "But I think the schools have a point when they say other courses from other institutions are allowed in, but when a course has 'Christian' in the title it seems to raise a red flag."

This seems to cover it.