American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota inquiry into Normandale Community College meditation room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: media@aclu.org

St. Paul, Minn – The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota announced today that it is inquiring into Normandale Community College’s meditation room after hearing allegations of improper use. The ACLU-MN is concerned that way the prayer room is currently structured may violate the establishment clause.

According to the allegations the meditation room is only available to Muslim students, and that the room has been divided so that men and women pray separately. Non-Muslim students have complained that when they have tried to access the meditation room they have been rebuffed by the Muslim students. The ACLU-MN sent a letter yesterday to Normandale Community College asking for more information about how exactly the prayer room is used, and explaining what the current laws say about reasonable accommodation. While the ACLU-MN does not oppose allowing Muslim students a space to pray, they must in turn allow students of all denominations equal access to space. In the letter to Normandale Community College we urge that if the allegations are indeed true that Normandale must take immediate action to remedy the problem.

Charles Samuelson, Executive Director states “The wisdom of our founding fathers on the entanglement of religion and government is as important today as it was 200 years ago.”

Attached is a copy of the letter that was sent to Normandale Community College, it can also be found online at www.aclu-mn.org