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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 19 SepteMber 2022
Yeshiva University halts clubs amid high court LGBTQ ruling

Associated Press the students said the uni-
NEW YORK (AP) — Yeshiva versity's action Friday was
University has abruptly sus- divisive and "shameful."
pended student club ac- "The Pride Alliance seeks
tivity in the wake of a U.S. a safe space on campus,
Supreme Court decision nothing more. By shutting
earlier this week that or- down all club activities, the
dered the school to recog- YU administration attempts
nize — for now — an LGBTQ to divide the student body,
student group. and pit students against
In an email to students, uni- their LGBT peers," said the
versity officials on Friday lawyer, Katie Rosenfeld.
said that it "hold off on all The university's tactic, she
undergraduate club ac- said, "is a throwback to 50
tivities while it immediately years ago when the city of
takes steps to follow the Jackson, Mississippi closed
roadmap provided by the all public swimming pools
U.S. Supreme Court to pro- rather than comply with
tect YU's religious freedom." court orders to desegre-
On Wednesday, the high gate."
court cleared the way for The university, an Orthodox
the LGBTQ group, YU Pride Jewish institution in New
Alliance, to gain official York, argued that granting
recognition from the Jewish recognition to the Pride Alli-
university in New York. ance, "would violate its sin-
The undergraduate group cere religious beliefs."
describes itself as "a sup- The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, Monday, June 27, 2022. The club argued that Ye-
portive space for all stu- Associated Press shiva's plea to the Supreme
dents, of all sexual orienta- Court was premature, also
tions and gender identities, courts. Two conservatives, while the case continues. ing of the Torah. noting the university al-
to feel respected, visible, Chief Justice John Roberts If it gets neither from state "Yeshiva University sim- ready has recognized a
and represented." and Justice Brett Kavana- courts, the school can re- ply seeks that same right gay pride club at its law
Spokespeople for the uni- ugh, sided with the court's turn to the Supreme Court, of self-determination," he school.
versity did not immediately three liberal justices to form the majority wrote. said. "The Supreme Court A New York state court sid-
respond to emails seeking a majority. The case was being closely has laid out the roadmap ed with the student group
comment on Saturday. The disagreement among watched by other faith- for us to find expedited re- and ordered the univer-
By a 5-4 vote Wednesday, the justices appears to be based institutions. lief and we will follow their sity to recognize the club
the justices lifted a tempo- mostly about procedure, Following the ruling, the instructions." immediately. The matter
rary hold on a court order with the majority writing in president of the university, Berman also said the uni- remains on appeal in the
that requires Yeshiva Uni- a brief unsigned order that Rabbi Ari Berman, said versity's "commitment and state court system, but
versity to recognize the Yeshiva should return to that faith-based universities love for our LGBTQ students judges there refused to put
group, even as a legal state court to seek quick re- have the right to establish are unshakeable." the order on hold in the
fight continues in New York view and temporary relief clubs within its understand- Nevertheless, a lawyer for meantime.q

Suits to save Confederate icons dropped in South Carolina

one of the lawsuits. It had the South Carolina State of U.S. Vice President Cal-
been filed by descendants Museum to take the statue houn's monument and the
of John C. Calhoun, a for- of Calhoun. associated lawsuit in the
mer congressman and vice Both suits had been filed in coming weeks."
president who died before state court. The highway Opponents of the removal
the Civil War, opposing the marker and auditorium of the Lee memorial had
city of Charleston's removal lawsuit was dropped Sept. accused the city of violat-
of Calhoun's statue. 13. The Calhoun lawsuit ing the state Heritage Act,
The association also had was dropped Sept. 15, the which protects certain
filed a lawsuit opposing the newspaper reported. monuments.
removal of a Robert E. Lee AHA President Brett Barry "As city attorneys have
Memorial Highway marker declined to comment on made clear from the start,
from the campus of a char- the status of the Calhoun there was never a viola-
ter school in Charleston, case, despite the descen- tion of the Heritage Act,"
and the renaming of an dants' request for dismissal. Charleston city spokesman
auditorium that had been "Charleston monuments Jack O'Toole told The Post
A statue of former U.S. Vice President and slavery advocate John named after Christopher are an integral part of the and Courier on Sept. 16.
C. Calhoun is raised by crews after its removal from a 100-foot-
tall monument on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, in Charleston, S.C. Memminger, a treasury city's historical and artistic "And now that these law-
Associated Press secretary of the Confeder- American landscape," Bar- suits have been dropped,
acy. The stone-and-metal ry told The Post and Cou- the city can start moving
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — in a South Carolina city monument to Confederate rier. "Both the American forward once again with
Lawsuits filed to stop the have been dropped. Gen. Lee, was removed Heritage Association and plans for these historical
removal of memorials to The Post and Courier reports in July 2021 and placed in members of the Calhoun items to be displayed in an
Confederate leaders and that the American Heritage storage. family look forward to com- appropriate public setting
a pro-slavery congressman Association helped fund The city made a deal with menting on the destruction here in our state."q