Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in Texas

If I am a student at a private university, Baylor University, can that university not allow me to start a group, atheist and agnostic association, purely because the fact that we are not religious? Doesn't this go against the first amendment rights of all US citizens, or does Baylor have that right since they are a private university, even though the federal government still helps fund them.


Asked on 2/04/13, 9:55 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Mark Dunn Mark D. Dunn

Baylor University can prevent you from meeting on campus, getting money out of the student activities funds, participating in campus events, or using university media.

They can't stop you from existing. They can't prevent someone from joining your group. You'll have to meet off-campus.

In the alternative, you can start putting up flyers announcing a "Baylor University Atheist Club" meeting next Saturday night at your dorm room, and when the university comes down on you (they'll probably give you a warning, and then expel you), sue them in federal court under the Civil Rights Act. And call the news media. And start practicing for the "60 Minutes" interview.

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Answered on 2/12/13, 5:48 pm


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