Court Upholds Authority of Police at Religiously Affiliated Colleges

Dec. 1, 2011
The North Carolina Supreme Court has upheld the powers of campus police departments at religiously affiliated colleges and universities.

The North Carolina Supreme Court has upheld the powers of campus police departments at religiously affiliated colleges and universities.

The decision reverses a state appeals court ruling. The case stems from a drunken driving arrest made in 2006 by police at Davidson College, a private institution in Davidson, N.C., affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The driver challenged the arrest, arguing that delegating police authority to a religious institution was unconstitutional.

The court ruled that Davidson, although affiliated with a church denomination, is in practice a secular institution.

"We affirm the trial court’s determination that Davidson College is not a church and that its primary purpose is not religious in nature," the Supreme Court decision states. "…The statutory provision of police protection for the students, faculty and staff at Davidson, an educational institution with the primary purpose of secular education, does not result in excessive entanglement between church and state."

Sponsored Recommendations

How to design flexible learning spaces that teachers love and use

Unlock the potential of flexible learning spaces with expert guidance from school districts and educational furniture providers. Discover how to seamlessly integrate adaptive ...

Blurring the Lines in Education Design: K–12 to Higher Ed to Corporate America

Discover the seamless integration of educational and corporate design principles, shaping tomorrow's leaders from kindergarten to boardroom. Explore innovative classroom layouts...

Room to Learn: Furniture Solutions for Education

Preparing students for the future. Utilizing our experience in the education market, we offer a dynamic selection of products that pair technology with furniture to help stimulate...

Transforming Education: A Case Study in Progressive Classroom Design

Discover how Workspace Interiors and the Baldwin School District reshaped learning environments in Long Island, New York, creating pedagogically responsive spaces that foster ...