Earning their credit

Minnesota high schoolers will be able to earn college credit from Christian and other religious universities thanks to a federal judge’s ruling on Aug. 22. The ruling was the latest in a series of recent court judgments protecting schools’ religious liberties.

For 40 years, a Minnesota program provided funding for high school students to earn credit from public or private colleges in the state. But a 2023 amendment to the program mandated that colleges offering dual enrollment could not require students to sign a statement of faith.

A group of parents and two Christian schools, the University of Northwestern–St. Paul and Crown College, sued over the restrictions in 2023. In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel relied on Supreme Court precedents which held that the government cannot discriminate against schools just because they’re religious. Brasel decided that Minnesota’s new restrictions on religious schools were unconstitutional and ordered the 2023 amendment “stricken in its entirety.”

“Minnesota tried to cut off educational opportunities to thousands of high schoolers simply for their faith,” said Becket attorney Diana Thomson in a statement following the decision. “That’s not just unlawful—it’s shameful.”

A Space for Christian expression

On Aug. 20, the legal organization First Liberty announced that Grand Island High School in New York will allow a student to decorate her parking space with Bible verses, reversing a previous policy. The school, which allows seniors “to beautify the campus” by personalizing their own parking space for $50, wouldn’t permit Sabrina Steffans to use designs with Christian themes.

Steffans, a high school senior who leads the Bible club at the high school, submitted three artwork designs for her parking space: Two included crosses and Bible verses from John 14:6 and Jeremiah 29:11. School officials approved the third, nonreligious submission but reportedly told Steffans the other designs weren’t allowed.

After Steffans sought counsel from First Liberty, the legal group sent a demand letter to Grand Island Central School District. The district ultimately reversed course, permitting Steffans to decorate her parking space with a religious theme. —B.M.

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Church building boom

U.S. spending for religious construction was almost 17% higher in June compared with one year prior, despite an overall slump in construction during that period, according to a Census Bureau report. The recent increase may be partly attributable to building upgrades: Many churches now position themselves as community centers with coffee shops and child care programs. According to The Wall Street Journal, spending on religious construction is far below its 2001 peak of $8.8 billion but is projected to hit $4.6 billion this year, a 15-year high. —B.M.