The Freedom From Religion Foundation has pre-empted any future Cleveland State University-sponsored “Faith & Family Day” from taking place on school grounds.
FFRF Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert wrote to CSU President Ronald Berkman on March 13 over the university’s inappropriate endorsement of “Faith & Family Day.” The event took place on Jan. 7, 2012, during a men’s basketball game. The event was promoted using a logo consisting of numerous Christian crosses. “This promotion of religion, particularly Christianity, by a publicly funded university is inappropriate and unconstitutional,” wrote Markert.
Markert pointed out that when a publicly-funded college “holds an event promoting a specific religious viewpoint, that statement sends a message that people adhering to certain religious beliefs are favored members of the community.”
A representative of the university responded to Markert via a March 26 letter: “Immediately upon being notified of this, all posters, flyers and marquee messages within the Wolstein Center were removed… I am satisfied that appropriate steps have been taken to ensure that there will not be any future advertisements or promotional events sponsored by the university that will in any way suggest that the university endorses religion or any religious preference.”
