Former Faculty Members' Suit Against Religious College Dismissed On Establishment Clause Grounds

In Winberry v. Louisiana College, (LA App., Nov. 6, 2013), four former faculty members of of a Baptist liberal arts college sued claiming defamation, violation of academic freedom and violation of a settlement of a prior lawsuit. All four taught a required religious class, and the college claimed that they were teaching errant views.  The Louisiana appellate court affirmed the trial court's holding that the ministerial exception does not apply because Louisiana College is not a church. However it also affirmed the trial court's dismissal of the suit on Establishment Clause grounds;

The trial court was correct in holding that the dispute between Plaintiffs and Defendants centers on the nature of Baptist theology and church governance over how theology is taught at Louisiana College and would, thus, require the court to impermissibly entangle itself in deciding ecclesiastical matters.