Liberty University's Jerry Falwell, Jr. as Head of Education Task Force is Bad Math for Our Country!
- by: Chris Wolverton
- recipient: President Donald Trump, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos
Now that school privatization advocate Besty DeVos has been confirmed as secretary of education, you might wonder how things could get worse for federal support for public education. Here's how:
Liberty University president Jerry Falwell, Jr. is Trump's choice to lead a task force to reform the U.S. Department of Education's policies and procedures.
Falwell's Christian university pushes young-earth creationism (the belief that God created the universe, including Earth and all its life forms, less than 10,000 years ago). As a conservative activist, he opposes evolutioni and encourages his students to do the same. Liberty University's honor code prohibits homosexual "behavior or advocacy" a clear violation of LGBTQ rights.
Falwell himself grew up attending Christian private schools, and earned a B.A. in religious studies from Liberty in 1962. Falwell has also made biased statements against Muslims. In a statement explaining his choice to arm Liberty students, he said, "I always thought that if more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walk in and kill."
Falwell has also made it clear he thinks that there need to be fewer regulations coming out of the Department of Education. The first regulation he wants to get rid of is Title IX, which protects students from discrimination based on sex and includes requirements for how schools handle sexual assault and harassment on campus. Falwell believes that universities should not be forced to "ruin a student's life, when there's not enough evidence for a case to even go forward." He is so dismissive of sexual assault on campus that he hired Baylor University's Athletics Director who had resigned due to his role in a sexual assault scandal.
Choosing a man with no experience attending public school who actively fights scientific teachings, seems to believe most sexual assault victims are lying, and has made biased statements against non-Christians is misguided, and threatens the separation of church and state. Please sign the petition to urge Donald Trump to reconsider Falwell's appointment as the head of the education task force!
I am concerned with your choice of Liberty University president Jerry Falwell, Jr. to lead a Department of Education task force.
Falwell's Christian university pushes young-earth creationism (the belief that God created the universe, including Earth and all its life forms, less than 10,000 years ago). As a conservative activist, he opposes evolutionists and encourages his students to do the same. Falwell himself grew up attending Christian private schools, and earned a B.A. in religious studies from Liberty in 1962.
Falwell has also made biased statements against Muslims. In a statement explaining his choice to arm Liberty students, he said, "I always thought that if more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walk in and kill."
Falwell has also made it clear he thinks that there need to be fewer regulations coming out of the Department of Education. The first regulation he wants to get rid of is Title IX, which protects students from discrimination based on sex and includes requirements for how schools handle sexual assault and harassment on campus. Falwell believes that universities should not be forced to "ruin a student's life, when there's not enough evidence for a case to even go forward." He is so dismissive of sexual assault on campus that he hired Baylor University's Athletics Director who had resigned due to his role in a sexual assault scandal.
Choosing a man with no experience attending public school who actively fights scientific teachings and has made biased statements against non-Christians is misguided, and threatens the separation of church and state. I urge you to reconsider your choice of Falwell for head of the education task force.
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