A report from the American Principles Project (APP) has revealed that the Biden administration’s Department of Education disproportionately enforces actions against faith-based and career schools. These schools represent a small fraction of U.S. students but account for nearly 70% of enforcement actions.
Jon Schweppe, Policy Director for APP, accused the administration of weaponizing the Education Department. “This is a targeted campaign to punish Christian colleges for their ideological differences with the left,” he said.
Grand Canyon University (GCU) has been a primary target, facing a $37.7 million fine for allegedly misleading students. This penalty eclipses those imposed on public universities for major scandals, such as Michigan State’s $4.5 million fine over the Larry Nassar case.
APP’s report found that Christian colleges face harsher penalties on average. The typical Clery Act fine for these institutions was $815,000, while public and private schools faced significantly lower fines. Additionally, at least 12 Christian schools have been restricted from receiving federal student aid.
The Department of Education denies targeting faith-based institutions, stating that its enforcement is impartial. However, GCU recently won a legal case after the department was found to have improperly denied its nonprofit status.
Critics argue these findings reveal an ideological bias within the administration, raising concerns about the fairness of enforcement actions against religious institutions.
