Supreme Court says law school may not recognize Christian group

A US law school cannot be forced to recognize a religious group that discriminates against gay students, the US Supreme Court has decided.

The 5–4 ruling affects the college’s Christian Legal Society, which, according to Pink News, decided five years ago to bar those who practise a “sexually immoral lifestyle.” Hastings College of Law – part of the University of California – decided to withdraw its recognition of the Christian group. It also barred members from using reserved meeting rooms. After lower courts had ruled in favour of the college, the Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the Christian group’s rights had not been violated. Pink News says: “In an opinion for the majority, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, wrote: ‘We hold that a law school may maintain an open-access policy.’ “She continued that the policy applied to all students and all student groups. “ ‘To meet First Amendment measurement, the school need not provide a religion-based exception,’ she wrote. “Justice Samuel Alito, writing for himself and the three other judges who voted in the minority, said the judgment marked a dark day for religious freedom.” The online gay-news source quotes Alito as having written: “I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that today’s decision is a serious setback for freedom of expression in this country.” While the ruling doesn’t mean the group must change its own policies or beliefs, it’s thought the Supreme Court ruling will have a knock-on effect on other groups and societies.