Founded in 1906, College of the Ozarks is a religious school in Missouri that aims to provide its students a Christian education. The college’s vision is to develop citizens of Christ-like character who are well-educated, hardworking, and patriotic.
No students pay tuition at College of the Ozarks. Instead, they work on campus to help pay their way through school. The remainder of the costs are covered by donations.
Because of this unique arrangement, in 1973 a Wall Street Journal article referred to the college as “Hard Work U.”—a label that College of the Ozarks has since embraced.
At College of the Ozarks, the Christian faith is at the center of everything. For example, the college holds to a Christian belief that biological sex is not changeable, and it operates its dorms accordingly.
But according to HUD’s rule change, colleges and universities nationwide—including faith-based institutions—would be forced to open girls’ dorms to male students.
And the rule change wouldn’t just force these schools to open up residence halls by floor; it would also force them to place males in girls’ dorms as roommates and to allow them to use communal bathrooms and showers.
And that was something that College of the Ozarks couldn’t—and shouldn’t have to—accept, so with the help of Alliance Defending Freedom, it filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration.
The lawsuit explains that the HUD directive contradicts the clear wording, meaning, and historical interpretation of the Fair Housing Act, which confirms that “sex” means biological sex.
In addition, the lawsuit argues that the agency violated procedural requirements by not allowing public notice and comment, and that the directive violates the constitutional right of College of the Ozarks and similar religious institutions to operate consistently with their religious beliefs. Read more»
Alliance Defending Freedom | “College of the Ozarks Asks Supreme Court to Protect Its Freedom” | Updated March 10, 2023
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