Bethany Hall wanted to follow where her faith was leading her. She qualified for up to $5,000 a year through Virginia’s tuition assistance program. But when she chose a religious course of study, the state told her she was no longer eligible. We’re now asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Bethany’s case.
Bethany is a full-time student at Liberty University. When she began her studies, she chose to major in Music Education. She qualified for Virginia’s Tuition Assistance Grant.
But Bethany felt her faith leading her in a different direction and ultimately changed her major to Music & Worship.
That’s when Virginia denied her the Tuition Assistance Grant.
Same student. Same university. Same financial need.
The difference was that her education was now religious.
Virginia’s decision put Bethany in an impossible position:
Follow her religious calling—or keep thousands of dollars in tuition assistance.
Bethany chose her faith. And decided to fight back.
She argued that when Virginia provides tuition assistance to students pursuing secular degrees, it cannot deny the same assistance to students who choose a religious course of study.
The government shouldn’t be able to tell a student:
We’ll help pay for your education—unless you choose a religious major.
When Bethany’s case reached the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, a Supreme Court decision from more than 20 years ago stood in her way: Locke v. Davey.
In Locke, the Supreme Court said that states can exclude students who pursue religious degrees from generally available scholarship programs.
The only way forward for Bethany? The Supreme Court must overturn Locke.
That’s why First Liberty and our co-counsel are asking the Supreme Court to hear Bethany’s case and overturn Locke v. Davey.
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Bethany simply wants the freedom other students have:
The freedom to choose what she studies without being punished because that choice is religious.
Now her fight could reach the highest court in the country.
Stand with Bethany as First Liberty fights to protect her religious freedom—and the freedom of students across America.
