Exclusive: NJ college denies Christian club funding solely due to religious status, demand letter alleges, in First Amendment dispute

A college in New Jersey is denying a Christian club student funding solely because of its religious status, while the Christian members are forced to fund other campus groups, a new demand letter alleges.

Atlantic Cape Community College, a public college with more than 6,000 enrolled students, has a Student Government Association policy specifically barring “religious and political groups” from receiving “funds to run their clubs.” Alliance Defending Freedom, a nonprofit legal group, sent the college a letter on Monday demanding that it “immediately strike” the policy’s language and restore funding to the Atlantic Cape Christian Club, which was allegedly informed by college officials last year that it “cannot receive funds because it is Christian.”

“This is blatant religious discrimination, plain and simple,” ADF legal counsel Matthew Ray said in a statement to The Lion. “Atlantic Cape Community College is denying funding to a Christian club for one reason only: because it’s Christian. That’s unconstitutional.”

He noted that the Christian club’s members are forced to pay the same student fees as every other club, but “can’t benefit from them because of their faith.”

“Atlantic Cape claims it won’t fund political groups, yet it openly funds the Pride Club – a group that undeniably promotes a political ideology,” Ray said. “A public college doesn’t get to play favorites. It cannot support secular viewpoints while excluding religious ones.”

The letter seeks an amicable resolution but sets a Feb. 13 deadline to hear back from the college, or else ADF will pursue “other ways” to vindicate the club members’ First Amendment rights.

The student Christian club’s mission is to “share the love of Jesus Christ,” connect with fellow students, and encourage relationships with God, the letter notes. Members run Bible studies, pray, sing Christian songs, and support the community through hosting drives for food, clothing, and baby supplies.

The Christian club is seeking funding so it can hold more events, recruit more members, and expand its charitable activities, the letter notes. ADF argues that by prohibiting the Christian students from receiving funding while forcing them to fund other groups, such as the Pride club, they face “a clear double standard.”

“The Supreme Court has made clear, ‘the vigilant protection of constitutional freedoms is nowhere more vital than in the community of American schools,’” the demand letter reads. “The U.S. Supreme Court has ‘repeatedly held that a State violates the Free Exercise Clause when it excludes religious observers from otherwise available public benefits’ and programs.”

By targeting religious and political speech, Atlantic Cape violates the First Amendment’s “‘requirement of viewpoint neutrality in the allocation of funding support’ for student organizations.” 

The college confirmed to The Lion that it has received the letter and is “reviewing it internally,” Atlantic Cape Chief Marketing Officer Laura Batchelor said. “The College remains committed to providing inclusive, accessible, and equitable education programs and services to our community, and has no further comment at this time.”

Photo credit: Atlantic Cape Community College (Facebook)