Christian colleges have accused the Biden administration’s Department of Education of unfair enforcement practices after a report revealed nearly 70% of its actions target faith-based and career schools. These institutions represent a small percentage of U.S. students, leading to claims of ideological bias.
Jon Schweppe, Policy Director for the American Principles Project (APP), condemned the administration, saying, “This is a campaign to punish Christian colleges for standing against the left’s radical agenda.”
Grand Canyon University (GCU) is among the schools facing severe penalties. GCU was fined $37.7 million for allegedly misleading students, a penalty far higher than those imposed on public schools for serious violations.
The APP report found that Christian schools face disproportionately high fines under the Clery Act, with average penalties of $815,000 compared to $228,571 for other institutions. Additionally, at least 12 Christian colleges have been barred from federal student aid, a measure not applied to elite universities.
The Department of Education denies targeting faith-based schools, stating that its enforcement actions are impartial. However, GCU recently won a court case after the department was found to have improperly denied its nonprofit status.
Critics argue the report highlights an ideological bias within the administration, raising concerns about the fairness of enforcement actions and the treatment of religious institutions. Many are demanding greater accountability to protect faith-based schools from politically motivated targeting.
