(RNS) Lawyer Charges Catholic University with Civil Rights Violations

Posted by Kendall Harmon

A famously litigious lawyer has filed charges against the Catholic University of America (CUA) for not providing Muslim students with prayer rooms that are free of Catholic iconography.

John F. Banzhaf III, a law professor at George Washington University who had earlier filed charges over CUA’s switch to same-sex dorms this summer, filed the new 60-page complaint with the Washington, D.C. Office of Human Rights.

“It shouldn’t be too difficult somewhere on the campus for the university to set aside a small room where Muslims can pray without having to stare up and be looked down upon by a cross of Jesus,” Banzhaf told Fox News.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Culture-Watch • Education • Law & Legal Issues • Religion & Culture • * Religion News & Commentary • Other Churches • Roman Catholic • Other Faiths • Islam

8 Comments
Posted October 31, 2011 at 11:30 am [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. TomRightmyer wrote:

I’ll be happy to read about the worship spaces provided for Christian students at universities in Muslim majority nations.

October 31, 1:30 pm | [comment link]
2. David Keller wrote:

I’d be happy to read about the worship spaces provided for Christian students at Vanderbilt.

October 31, 1:43 pm | [comment link]
3. Paula Loughlin wrote:

I do believe this is the same Pettifogger who is suing the same university for its return to single sex dorms.  Tells me all I need to know.

October 31, 1:54 pm | [comment link]
4. AnglicanFirst wrote:

It would be nice not to have to listen to the Muslim “call to prayer” being blared out on loudspeakers.

What is next, Muslim sensitivity to Christian church bells?

October 31, 2:03 pm | [comment link]
5. Capt. Father Warren wrote:

It’s a CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY!  Did they perhaps miss that on the application form?

October 31, 5:53 pm | [comment link]
6. Ad Orientem wrote:

As someone recently observed, this is a bit like going to a strip club, and then complaining about the nudity.

October 31, 7:37 pm | [comment link]
7. Katherine wrote:

One hopes this silly lawsuit will be thrown out of court.  If they don’t want to see Catholic symbols in classrooms, they should have chosen to attend a school which is not Catholic.

October 31, 7:59 pm | [comment link]
8. Charles52 wrote:

I’m not a lawyer, but doesn’t this fellow need some sort of standing to file a lawsuit like this? Without a personal injury, isn’t this just harassment?

October 31, 11:53 pm | [comment link]
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