BUZZ
A lawsuit accusing three Texas work-study programs of discrimination has been dismissed after Attorney General Ken Paxton said he was assured that “religious freedoms” are being protected.
The lawsuit took issue with language requiring that students be employed in “nonpartisan and non-sectarian activities.”
However, Paxton said the language is no longer a problem in a notice to dismiss the lawsuit, filed in February. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board provided a copy of the filing to The College Fix on Friday.
“In response to the Attorney General’s lawsuit, Defendants have indicated that they neither interpret the statute and rules at issue in this case as forbidding the use of public funds in connection with religious purposes nor do they apply them in such a manner that would violate constitutionally protected religious freedoms,” the filing states.
“By obtaining these assurances, the Attorney General has effectively obtained the relief sought through this lawsuit and desires to nonsuit his claims,” according to the attorney general’s filing.
In November, Paxton sued the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board alleging that three of its work-study programs unconstitutionally discriminate against religious students and organizations, The Fix reported at the time.
The attorney general alleged the “non-sectarian” language was “a violation of the First Amendment because it excludes religious organizations,” such as seminaries, The Texas Tribune reported at the time.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, a public entity, oversees state work-study programs that offer financial aid in the form of jobs to low income college students.
About $8 million is budgeted for the board’s work-study programs annually, according to the Tribune.
MORE: 3 work-study programs discriminate against seminary students: Texas AG lawsuit
