Biden Education Secretary Cardona vows to shut down Christian university

The largest Christian university in the United States is fighting back after the Department of Education’s secretary vowed to shut down the school.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona made the comment during the House Appropriations Committee on April 10, after being asked about the school by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut.

“…[W]e are cracking down not only to shut them down, but to send a message to not prey on students,” Cardona said, according to Fox News. “They have flashy marketing materials, but the product is not worth the paper it is printed on.”

In November, GCU was fined $37.7 million by the Department of Education (DOE) based on allegations the university misled students about the cost of its doctoral programs over several years. 

The university appealed the fine and was cleared of wrongdoing by multiple state agencies, including the Arizona State Approving Agency, but the DOE continues to pursue its case. 

“This is the fourth group that has looked at the exact same set of facts and have said their disclosures are clear, they’re thorough, they’re robust, there are no student complaints, and yet the Department of Education is issuing the largest fine in its history of $37 million,” GCU President Brian Mueller told local media. 

Mueller has previously expressed his belief that he believes the university is being “unfairly targeted.”  

Mueller isn’t the only one to share that sentiment.  

The American Principles Project (APP) announced a petition to “protect Christian colleges,” citing the fine against GCU. 

“The federal government’s education agenda is punishing schools that do not conform to their progressive ideology,” APP Policy Director Jon Schweppe said. “It’s time we take a stand against this egregious abuse of power. 

“The scrutinize-and-penalize campaign against faith-based institutions is not about students’ interests or well-being. Rather, it’s part of a concerted effort to snuff out education choice and promote far-left values. It’s critical that Americans be aware of this shameful campaign and that we do all we can to put a stop to it.”