The organization that unsuccessfully sued the U.S. Department of Education to stop religious exemptions to Title IX for LGBTQ students at Christian universities is disbanding.
The board of directors of the Religious Exemption Accountability Project announced the closure Aug. 10.
“After the discovery of a serious internal issue that impacted REAP’s financial and operational stability, the board took immediate action; pausing operations, assessing next steps, and upholding our fiduciary responsibilities,” the statement says.
For now, REAP will remain incorporated “for the sole purpose of concluding operations, fulfilling legal responsibilities and preserving an archive of our work.”
REAP filed suit in 2021 to declare as unconstitutional the religious exemption provision of Title IX, the 1972 civil rights law prohibiting discrimination based on sex by educational institutions that receive federal funding. The suit’s 2023 dismissal by a federal judge in Oregon was upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Aug. 30, 2024.
Defendants included the U.S. Department of Education, Corban University in Oregon, William Jessup University in California, Phoenix Seminary in Arizona and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. The suit claimed the religious schools used the religious exemption provision to discriminate against nonbinary, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
“One of our most significant contributions was supporting the landmark federal lawsuit Hunter, et al. v. U.S. Department of Education,” the statement says. “While the outcome was disappointing, the case made history by centering queer student voices in federal court and drawing national attention to the misuse of religious exemptions.”
The REAP board of directors includes Lauren Cazares, chair; Zayn Silva, vice chair; Hannah Waits, secretary; R. Scott Okamoto, treasurer; Kalie Hargrove; and Angela Whitlock.
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