You have /5 articles left.
Sign up for a free account or log in.
President Trump signed an executive order Thursday declaring that the executive branch will "vigorously enforce federal law's robust protections for religious freedom."
The order, timed to coincide with the National Day of Prayer, was a far cry from a draft executive order leaked to The Nation in February that would have created large exceptions for individuals and organizations who object to same-sex marriage, premarital sex, abortion and transgender identities.
The order was welcomed as a positive step by the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities.
"Any time a president of the United States affirms the principles of religious freedom in our country, I think that’s a good thing," said Shapri LoMaglio, vice president for government and external relations at CCCU. "That’s essential to a flourishing and vibrant democracy and society."
But the group was disappointed the order did not definitively resolve the abortifacient mandate situation that led more than 20 of its member institutions to file legal challenges, LoMaglio said. Meanwhile, many conservative news outlets declared the order a missed opportunity.
David Herzig, a law professor at Valparaiso University, said the order was more of a statement of priorities than a mandate about how federal agencies should operate.
"It doesn’t seem to say much of anything, actually," he said.
Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride, said the executive order doesn't appear to have any significant impact on colleges and universities.
"It's very different than what they had drafted months ago," he said.
Windmeyer noted that religious institutions could already request religious exemptions to avoid complying with Title IX guidelines, which prohibit discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation. He said Campus Pride would continue to monitor and identify campuses that openly discriminate against LGBTQ individuals.
