California State University at San Bernardino: Refusal to Recognize Christian Group

California State University at San Bernardino (CSUSB) has refused to recognize a Christian student organization for requiring its members to live according to the group's religious faith. The Christian Student Association at CSUSB contacted FIRE for help after the university said that the group's statements on faith and sexual morality were "not permissible."

Case Materials

• "E-mails from CSUSB President Albert Karnig to a FIRE Supporter," January 5, 2006
• "Cal State San Bernardino Spikes Christian Student Group," December 19, 2005: California State University at San Bernardino (CSUSB) has refused to recognize a Christian student organization for requiring its members to live according to the group’s religious faith. The Christian Student Association at CSUSB contacted FIRE for help after the university said that the group’s statements on faith and sexual morality were “not permissible.”
• "Memo from CSU-San Bernardino Administrator Christine Hansen to the Christian Student Association," October 3, 2005
• "Constitution of the Christian Student Association at California State University at San Bernardino," September 15, 2005

Blog Entries

• "Cal State vs. the Constitution," by Robert Shibley, January 5, 2006
• "The War on Christians (and Muslims)," by Robert Shibley, December 27, 2005
• "Cal State’s Spineless Defense," by Charles Mitchell, December 20, 2005

Media Coverage

• "California Tells Christian Club it Must Admit Non-Christians and Homosexuals,"
  by Brendan Steinhauser, Townhall.com, January 2, 2006
• "FIRE: California School Curtails Christian Students' First Amendment Rights,"
  by Jim Brown, Agape Press, December 27, 2005
• "Campus Left to Christians, Conservatives: Shut Up!,"
  by Mark Tapscott, Townhall.com, December 24, 2005
• "California State University 2, Christianity 0,"
  by Nathan Burchfiel, Cybercast News Service, December 20, 2005
• "SoCal university denies charter to Christian group,"
  Associated Press, December 20, 2005
• "University rejects Christian student group,"
  WorldNetDaily, December 20, 2005
• "Rights threats come from all directions,"
  by Jay Ambrose, Scripps Howard News Service, December 20, 2005
• "Christian group denied Cal State charter,"
  by Duane Gang, The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.), December 20, 2005
• "CSUSB group drawing notice,"
  by Brad Greenberg, San Bernardino County Sun, December 20, 2005