MSOE, Christian group at peace

The conflict between liberty and equality, or at least one version of what constitutes equality, played out locally.

The Milwaukee School of Engineering,s Student Government Association finally granted full recognition to a Christian student group, ReJOYce in Jesus. State law and university policy prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

One portion of ReJOYce in Jesus' constitution came under particular scrutiny, a section that said voting members of the group "shall not commit those acts which are expressly forbidden in Scripture, including idolatry, premarital or extramarital sex, homosexual behavior, drunkenness, coveting, theft, profanity, occult practices and dishonesty."

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) had come to the student group's assistance.

David French, president of FIRE, said that political groups on college campuses are allowed to discriminate; for example, campus Republicans can mandate that no Democrat serve as club president.

"Problem comes," he said, "when you don't give a religious organization the same rights as a political organization, including the right to discriminate in a way that maintains the integrity of their message."

French called conflicts like this one "epidemic" and colleges across the country. Here's FIRE's press release on the MSOE settlement.