After a lawsuit by a public-interest legal group, the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire backed off on its threat to discipline resident assistants for holding Bible studies in dorms.

Attorneys with Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund filed the suit on behalf of Lance Steiger, a student residential assistant who had led Bible studies in his dorm room since attaining his position several years ago.

University officials, however, recently told Steiger he and other RAs were barred from holding Bible studies anywhere in their dorms, including their own rooms.

ADF pointed out other RAs had led groups in their rooms to discuss a variety of topics, including sexual issues and feminism.

"Colleges and universities shouldn't treat Christian students any differently than other students – whether religious or not," said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Kevin Theriot.

A student's speech in his dorm room is free, he continued, "the fact that the speech is religious doesn't change that."

The university initially balked at changing its policy, even after Steiger contacted the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which wrote a letter to university officials explaining his rights.

When ADF filed the lawsuit, the university temporarily suspended its policy, saying it would form a committee to study the matter.

"The university came to the right conclusion that the First Amendment protects religious speech and that this student's rights had indeed been violated," said Theriot.

The settlement called for university officials to pay Steiger a symbolic damages award of $1 along with attorneys' fees and costs.

As WorldNetDaily reported, Edinburgh University in Scotland planned to ban Bibles from its student halls of residence due to concern they are the source of discrimination against students of other faiths.

The ban was a response to student association protests as well as an agenda to equally support all faiths. A Gideon Bible traditionally is placed in the room of all new students.

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