[MineralMan]

Misleading title. What they banned was having employees of the school lead Bible studies. Dorm Resident Managers and Assistants are employees of the school.

Anyone else living in the dorm can have as many Bible studies as they wish.

[frogjerk]

What they banned was having employees of the school lead Bible studies. Dorm Resident Managers and Assistants are employees of the school.

So they can prevent people from heading a Bible study on their own time?

[frogjerk]

What they banned was having employees of the school lead Bible studies. Dorm Resident Managers and Assistants are employees of the school.

Can they go to Mass or Church in public?

[Phantom Lord]

Would they then also find that RMs and RAs can not put pink triangles on their dorm door as a sign of a "safe place" as it might make residents find them unapproachable?

I doubt it.

[AppyPappy]

Anyone else living in the dorm can have as many Bible studies as they wish.

Unless they are employees of the school

Maybe they could pass a law against employees criticizing politicians.

[wmichgrad]

I would argue that RAs are not employees of the school unless they receive an actual paycheck. I believe that most RAs receive free room and board as compensation for services, but they are students who ultimately pay the schools to attend classes.

[NavVet]

Actually, the RA's are residents of the dorm who also get paid to advise the students.

However, the bible study was in the RA's residence behind closed doors. I seriously doubt they want to defend the position that the RA is always on the clock 24 hours a day, and therefore any speech or conduct on the part of the RA is subject to government control.

[Blood of Tyrants]

So what? Does being an government employee prohibit one's First Amendment right to freedom of religion on one's own time?

[savedbygrace]

RAs are employees? Man, things sure have changed in the 30+ years since I went to college.

Are you sure about this?

[HereInTheHeartland]

"Misleading title."

No it's not.
I worked for the university when I went to college. I ran the concession area in our basketball arena.

Should I have not been allowed to run a bible study on my dorm floor?

This is outrageous. Butts need to kicked and names taken.

[Centurion2000]

So what if it's an RA?? They have off duty time just like everyone else.

[bahblahbah]

Yawn, so does that mean this college could ban openly gays who have sex with multiple people in their dorm room because students might not find them approachable? Oh no, that would be discriminatory.

I just came out of a dorm two years ago and I literally saw my TA only when we had mandatory floor meetings. This whole situation is stupid.

[ReignOfError]

Misleading title. What they banned was having employees of the school lead Bible studies. Dorm Resident Managers and Assistants are employees of the school.

It doesn't even go that far. The article specifies that RAs can't lead Bible studies in their own dorms. There's no restriction mentioned on their leading a class at the student center, on the quad, or, presumably, in someone else's dorm.

It's a narrow rule -- the school doesn't want its secular authority figures also acting as religious leaders in their area of responsibility (i.e. the dorm). It doesn't bother me. I know it'll bother some folks, but don't make more out of it than it is.

[RinaseaofDs]

Doesn't matter. University still has no right to ban something like this. What if it were a professor, on their own time, doing the same thing in one of the buildings there? First amendment says that is A-OK. The University can even have a chapel on campus, and many do, including state schools.

[fella]

Oh now I understand, if you receive any kind of remittance from the government you automatically give up your God given civil rights. Now all we have to do is have some judges expand the definition of remittance to include the air we breathe.

[IrishRainy]

They DO have days off, however, so conceivably they could have Bible study at those times, right? Or is the University is saying they can regulate the activities of an employee's day OFF?

This is all so freakin' unbelievable...

[jude24]

I understand UW's position, but I would argue that universities have bigger problems than RA's introducing Christianity to college students.

[pollyannaish]

Fair enough. But does that mean they are on the payroll 24/7?

It seems to me that as long as it wasn't a school sponsored activity, or in anyway connected with the school, it's a different issue even if the employee was in residence.

Did I misunderstand?

[JSDude1]

Why should RA's that happen to be "Christian" refrain from Bible Studies??..

Do they not have 1st ammendment liberties too?

Can they not also not only function as RAs for a public U. and still be American citizens (and Christians...?)

Not only that but that also brings up the issue of so called "seperation of church ang state" that is a holy idol to the left, but means totally opposite that they say it does: The first ammendment was NEVER ment to deny American citizens (where ever they may be, Govt, Private, family, ect..) from being able to practice their religion: there are only a few circumstances where religious activity is restricted: say when it violates someone else' liberty, propery or explicit rights! And this circumstance does not do that, so I'd say this is just another example of liberal bias against Americans of (Christian) faith :-(!

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

So you're saying this is a non-story because it's OK for a school to curtail the Constitutional rights of its employees (freedom of association, freedom of religion, freedom of expression/speech), on their own time just as long as it isn't curtailing the rights of the students? I didn't read anything about forcible Bible studies, so I assume it was voluntary. I wonder if an openly homosexual RA would have his sexual practices protected, regardless of any students (religious or irreligious) found him "unapproachable."

RAs live in the dorms. Are they therefore 24/7 employees and thus must relinquish all of their Constitutional rights as long as they want employment? I think there have been at least a couple of cases that indicate that an employee is not an indentured servant and still has some civil rights.

[latina4dubya]

What they banned was having employees of the school lead Bible studies.

so are the employees able to ATTEND the Bible studies? are they able to lead political groups?