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Duke Comes Out Against Indiana's 'Religious Freedom' Law Ahead Of Final Four
Duke University, one of four teams left in the NCAA’s March Madness tournament, on Monday became the latest institution to publicly come out against the “religious freedom” law recently passed in Indiana.
Duke, along with Wisconsin, Kentucky and Michigan State, will head to Indianapolis for the Final Four this weekend. The championship game will also be held in the state next Monday.
Michael Schoenfeld, Duke’s vice president for public affairs and government relations, issued a statement on Monday in response to Indiana’s newly passed law, saying the university shared the NCAA’s concerns (emphasis ours):
Duke University continues to stand alongside the LGBT community in seeking a more equal and inclusive world, and we deplore any effort to legislate bias and discrimination. We share the NCAA’s concern about the potential impact of the new law, and will be vigilant to ensure that our student-athletes, supporters, and indeed all citizens and visitors are treated fairly and with respect.
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act was signed by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) last week. Under the measure, individuals or corporations are allowed to cite their religious beliefs if sued by another party, and many critics believe it would allow businesses to legally discriminate against others, specifically the LGBT community.
Duke’s statement follows that of NBA analyst Charles Barkely, who called the bill “unacceptable” and suggested that sporting events such as the Final Four and the Super Bowl should not be held in states with such legislation. The NBA and the WNBA also came out strongly against the law, as did their respective teams in Indiana, all promising inclusion at their events.
The NCAA itself also spoke out following the law’s passage last week, expressing concern about how it “could affect our student-athletes and employees.”
HuffPost has reached out to the three other Final Four teams on the issue, but requests for comment have not been returned.
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