The U.S. Department of Education publicly posted on Friday a list of faith-based colleges and universities seeking Title IX exemptions on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The list reflects applications filed to the education department as of April 26 this year.
Applications for Title IX exemptions have ballooned in recent years. According to BuzzFeed News, only 10 universities applied under former president Bill Clinton and 2 under former president George W. Bush. Before the new list was dropped, the same report reveals 60 religious universities have applied for Title IX exemptions under the Obama administration.
Title IX, a federal law enacted in 1972 states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."
In 2014, according to BuzzFeed, the education department has expanded Title IX exemptions to include gender identity. Men who identify as women can be accommodated in school facilities and programs as females.
This move has left faith-based learning institutions with two options: compromise their religious principles or file for an exemption and still be funded by the state.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University is one of the faith-based schools on the list. For Everett Piper, the university president, there is nothing to be ashamed of despite the "shame list" dropped by the Department of Education.
"Yes, we filed for the exemption and we are proud of it," he said via World Mag. "But nothing will change for us. We are compliant with a biblical worldview and to do anything else would be false advertising for our students."
LGBT groups have continued to criticize Title IX exemptions which they believe has blatantly sought to ban or discriminate against LGBT students or faculty.
