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Talk:Liberty University

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Controversy surrounding Liberty was nominated for deletion. The discussion was closed on 15 June 2012 with a consensus to merge. Its contents were merged into Liberty University. The original page is now a redirect to this page. For the contribution history and old versions of the redirected article, please see its history; for its talk page, see here.

Sparky (Mascot) was nominated for deletion. The discussion was closed on 26 January 2009 with a consensus to merge. Its contents were merged into Liberty University. The original page is now a redirect to this page. For the contribution history and old versions of the redirected article, please see its history; for its talk page, see here.

The following Wikipedia contributors may be personally or professionally connected to the subject of this article. Relevant policies and guidelines may include conflict of interest, autobiography, and neutral point of view. Their edits to this article were last checked for neutrality on 2016-08-24 by AntiCompositeNumber (talk · contribs). Gestrid (talk · contribs) This user has contributed to the article. This user has declared a connection. (Declaration) PCHS-NJROTC (talk · contribs) This user has contributed to the article. This user has declared a connection.

Do we need a new section for Liberty University's ties to white supremacy and authoritarianism? For example, it appears that LU was formed under white supremacy, at least from what a recent New Yorker article stated.

According to the Daily Kos, Jerry Falwell Sr. "was a rabid segregationist in the 1950s and 1960s, railing against Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and insisting that Jim Crow laws were God’s will."^[1]

According to Megan Stack "The university has its roots in the Lynchburg Christian Academy—later renamed Liberty Christian Academy—which opened in 1967, as the movement to compel the integration of public schools was consuming the South." Admittedly, there have been faculty, staff, and students that have pushed back on the white supremacist environment. ^[2]

LU's school of government is named after Senator Jesse Helms, a staunch segregationist.

In 2020, Pentecostal pastor Christopher A. House resigned after Liberty University president, Jerry Falwell Jr., "announced on Twitter that he had designed a face mask decorated with a photo of someone wearing blackface standing next to another individual wearing a KKK robe."^[3]LeeQuan McLaurin, a worker at LU's Office of Equity and Inclusion, and Thomas Starchia, associate director in the Office of Spiritual Development, also resigned. McLaurin said that “I cannot encourage students of color to go to that university the way that it is.” ^[4]

In terms of its ties to authoritarianism, Liberty is the only school not to rescind the honorary degree it awarded Donald Trump after the January 6, 2021 insurrection. ^[5]--CollegeMeltdown (talk) 15:44, 4 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

An article for Liberty Christian Academy exists and confirms that institution was once segregated. The statement that the university "has its roots" in the academy is kind of vague, however. Does anyone know of a source that's more specific on their relationship? Jno.skinner (talk) 22:50, 15 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I second this. At the very least there must be a criticisms page considering the tremendous controversies the university has been tied too. 2601:282:167F:1300:842F:AA0F:FD8B:D49D (talk) 06:15, 18 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]

This edit is not supported by the source. The source communicates the recollection of a single student in a single course at the university.

We cannot conclude from the source material that purity culture is a belief and value of the university which is an implied claim. We cannot conclude that purity culture is "emphasized" in the "University's courses." We can only conclude that a single student recollects that a view associated with purity culture was taught at least once in a single course at the university.

The statement either needs to be rewritten or a better source provided. HarryDoesMiles (talk) 02:06, 9 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

If you don't like Jezebel there's ProPublica "Central to the Liberty Way is a focus on abstinence prior to marriage, what’s known in evangelical communities as purity culture."[1] Horse Eye's Back (talk) 02:18, 9 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The problem is not the source but the statement, "The University's courses emphasize purity culture." Neither Jezebel nor ProPublica support that statement. We need a source to support that statement or the statement needs to change to reflect the sources. HarryDoesMiles (talk) 02:33, 9 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I'd favor adding back something like The university's honor code, called the "Liberty Way" emphasizes purity culture with a citation to ProPublica. Firefangledfeathers (talk / contribs) 02:43, 9 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I would support that. HarryDoesMiles (talk) 02:49, 9 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

If the problem was just the statement why didn't you edit it or edit and move it instead of fully removing it? Horse Eye's Back (talk) 02:49, 9 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The statement was not supported by the source. That's why the statement was a problem. HarryDoesMiles (talk) 02:53, 9 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Thats circular. BTW is this your first account? Horse Eye's Back (talk) 02:56, 9 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Extensive marketing material, but not even vaguely like an encyclopedia article.

Such is Wikipedia. 86.139.218.251 (talk) 07:50, 19 July 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I agree 67.209.10.221 (talk) 21:43, 8 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]

little to no mention of the fact that Liberty U is considered absolute shite in the academic world, it's reputation is that its a diploma mill for churning out right-wing activists. 74.70.148.148 (talk) 17:35, 23 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The Liberty University Wikipedia page a prime example of why no one trusts Wikipedia. Just the History section alone is completely one-sided. What a joke this website is. Lol 2601:342:C002:27B0:3D0E:8BDC:4A44:C2EA (talk) 04:34, 24 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Additional information can be added, as long as it comes from reliable sources and is referenced. Change it if you see issues! glman (talk) 17:56, 24 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/10/03/liberty-university-clery-act/

Liberty University broke safety laws for years, government asserts

In preliminary findings, the Education Department says the Christian school underreported crimes and destroyed evidence. Administrators can appeal.

By Susan Svrluga

October 3, 2023

... The initial report on the school’s Clery Act compliance — which the university can respond to and dispute before the department makes a final determination — paints a picture of a university that discouraged people from reporting crimes, underreported the claims it received and, meanwhile, marketed its Virginia campus as one of the safest in the country.

Liberty failed to warn the campus community about gas leaks, bomb threats and people credibly accused of repeated acts of sexual violence — including a senior administrator and an athlete — according to the report, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post....

“This is the single most blistering Clery report I have ever read. Ever,” said S. Daniel Carter, a campus safety consultant who reviewed a copy of the initial report obtained by The Post. Nbauman (talk) 22:07, 4 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]

More today -

• French, David (22 October 2023). "The Worst Scandal in American Higher Education Isn't in the Ivy League". The New York Times.

This one contains links to documentation elsewhere also.

Bluerasberry (talk) 20:09, 23 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]

LOL. I kinod of understand that this scam, mafia-like institution that has enriched its founders for many decades now is not described as such in the first sentence, but "non-profit"? Seriously??? --Anvilaquarius (talk) 13:23, 9 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]