Two Dordt Students Part Of Anti-Discrimination Class Action Suit Against US Dept of Education

Sioux Center, Iowa — A pair of Dordt University students are among thirty-three plaintiffs, from twenty-six different colleges, who have brought a class action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education.

According to court documents, the group is accusing the Education Department of, “complicity in the abuses and unsafe conditions thousands of LGBTQ+ students endure at hundreds of taxpayer-funded, religious colleges and universities.”

Dordt students Lauren Hoekstra and Avery Bonestroo are both parties to the lawsuit. In court documents, Hoekstra said, “We are held to a different, stricter level than straight students.” Hoekstra says Dordt students have sent her “harassing messages, professors have taught that people who practice homosexuality will burn in hell, and a Dordt administrator told her that she could come out but only if she didn’t blatantly promote homosexuality or put her relationship “in the face” of the people on campus.” She says, “Homophobia is rampant at Dordt and LGBTQ+ students fear coming out. They risk discipline, expulsion, and rejection and harassment from other students.”

Bonestroo says she fears that she will be forbidden to graduate or be forced to participate in conversion therapy if she does come out. In the court filing, she said she “feels compelled to remain closeted because of Dordt University’s policies.” The lawsuit contends that these policies indicate that Bonestroo could face extreme discipline by the school, including possible expulsion or forced therapy meant to “cure” her.

The lawsuit contends that homophobia is rampant at Dordt and LGBTQ+ students fear coming out.

The U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies provide billions of dollars annually in funding to religious colleges and universities that discriminate  against LGBTQ+ students, according to the lawsuit. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination at all educational institutions that receive federal funding. However, Title IX provides an exemption for educational institutions that are controlled by religious organizations to the extent that complying with Title IX would conflict with the religious tenets of the controlling organization.

The lawsuit is seeking an injunction declaring that the religious exemption to Title IX, as applied to the class of sexual and gender minority students, is unconstitutional, prohibition of the Department of Education from granting further religious exemptions to Title IX as applied to sexual and gender minority students, a rescinding of all prior religious exemptions to Title IX as applied to sexual and gender minority students, requiring the Department of Education to ensure that all federally-funded educational institutions respect the sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression of their students, as well as further relief the Court deems necessary and proper, as well as plaintiff’s costs and attorneys’ fees.

For their part, Dordt University stresses that the school is NOT a party to the lawsuit. In a post on the university’s website they write, “There are statements made in the complaint that do not represent the practices of Dordt University. As a Christian university, Dordt does maintain community standards which are obedient to Scripture. We seek to live these out with grace and truth—modeling Christ-like behavior in all areas of campus life. We pledge to extend compassion, care, support, and accountability for each member of our campus community as we develop into effective Kingdom citizens.”

The lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court in Eugene, Oregon.

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