A report reveals that nearly 70% of the Biden administration's enforcement actions in education have focused on Christian and career colleges, even though these institutions serve less than 10% of U. S. students. According to the American Principles Project (APP), this trend highlights a pattern of the government targeting faith-based institutions. APP Policy Director Jon Schweppe criticized the government for using federal power against political opponents.
Several prominent Christian universities, such as Grand Canyon University (GCU) and Liberty University, have faced significant scrutiny and penalties from the Department of Education (ED). The report indicates that the fines imposed on these Christian colleges far exceed those levied on other institutions, particularly major fines against GCU for allegedly misleading students about the costs of its programs.
In a House Appropriations Committee meeting, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona criticized GCU, claiming it preyed on first-generation college students. Furthermore, the report pointed out that 12 Christian colleges faced excessive penalties or bans from federal student aid without similar actions taken against the Ivy League schools.
The APP states that the average fine for a Christian institution for a Clery Act violation was approximately $815,000, compared to about $228,571 for other public and private institutions. A recent legal win for GCU highlighted the issue of the ED denying its nonprofit status, which was later found to be based on incorrect standards by the courts.
Despite claims from the APP, a spokesperson from the Department of Education stated that the schools' religious affiliation or nonprofit status has no impact on the enforcement actions they take. Their priority is to protect safety and academic opportunities for all students, arguing that the APP's report distorts the information available from the Department.
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