Trump offers cabinet post to head of Christian university that bans gay students
Liberty University president Jerry Falwell with Donald Trump. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)
President-elect Donald Trump offered the role of Education Secretary to the head of a university that bans gay students.
Jerry Falwell Jr, the President of Liberty University, revealed to Associated Press that he was offered the key Cabinet role during a meeting in New York last week, but turned down the role.
Liberty University, which claims to be the largest private Christian university in the world, has come under scrutiny for its controversial discriminatory policies on gay sex.
The university banned all LGBT groups in 2006 on the grounds of ‘morality’, and in 2014 secured an exemption from federal anti-discrimination laws to allow it to discriminate against LGBT people.
All students are required to sign a statement promising not to have gay sex or sex with a transgender person – even if they’re married.
It states: “Sexual relations outside of a Biblically ordained marriage between a natural-born man and natural-born woman are not permissible at Liberty University.”
Speaking at the university earlier this year, Trump made no reference to its discriminatory policies, pledging: “As President I promise to protect Christianity. I can say that – I don’t have to be politically correct, we’re going to protect it.”
Recently a veteran’s partner was denied a Liberty University tuition discount for military spouses – because of their lesbian relationship.
The university insisted: “Any scholarship that is made available to spouses… will only be available to ‘spouses’ as defined by Liberty University as a husband or wife of a service member who together are in state-sanctioned marriage and are natural-born members of the opposite sex.”
After being rebuffed by Falwell, Trump appointed Betsy DeVos, a prominent donor to the anti-gay marriage lobby, to the post.
DeVos previously donated $200,000 in a successful bid to add an anti-marriage amendment to the Michigan ballot.
