University Sued for Not Allowing Former Football Player to Include This Inscription on His Locker Nameplate

A former football player and school donor is suing his alma mater as it did not allow him to include two Bible verse references on his locker room nameplate.

The lawsuit, filed by the conservative Christian nonprofit, the Alliance Defending Freedom, alleged that Colorado School of Mines offered donors who helped fund the public university's new athletic facility the ability to include a brief inscription on personalized nameplates that would hang in the new football locker room. Michael Lucas Jr., a defensive nose tackle for the school from 1998 to 2002, requested that his nameplate include the words: "Colossians 3:23 & Micah 5:9" and donated $2,500 to his school.

Colorado School of Mines (Image source: KCNC-TV)

However, the lawsuit said the research university rejected Lucas' inscription because one of the verses references the "Lord," even though the actual verses would not be written out on the nameplates. In a press release, ADF said university officials said the nameplates could not include the words "Lord," "God" or "Jesus" or reference any Bible verses that contained those words as it would violate the First Amendment.

Colossians 3:23 states, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters," according to the New International Version of the Bible. Micah 5:9 says, "Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed."

School of Mines alumnus requested two Bible verses referenced on his donor plaque. (Image source: KCNC-TV)

"Public colleges and universities should encourage, not shut down, the free exchange of ideas, especially in a forum like this," ADF Legal Counsel Natalie Decker said in a press release provided to TheBlaze. "The school initially imposed no restrictions — or even guidelines — on the type of message a donor could include, and contrary to what the school is arguing, the First Amendment protects — not restricts — a simple reference to a Bible verse."

"It’s patently ridiculous to argue that a Bible reference that doesn’t include the text of the verse is somehow inappropriate simply because someone might look it up and see that ‘Lord’ is mentioned there," Decker said.

ADF said in the press release that over inscriptions included "Give 'Em Hell," "Take your whiskey clear" and "OK Gentlemen, it's time to gird your loins."

According to KCNC-TV, a School of Mines official said in an email that the university has an unlawful discrimination policy that prevented Lucas' inscription.

In a compromise, Lucas allowed the school to print the entire text of Micah 5:9 on his nameplate.

"Public colleges are supposed to be a marketplace of ideas," ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer said. "We hope [the School of Mines] will end the need for this lawsuit and revise its policy so that it affirms the constitutionally protected freedoms of all alumni, regardless of their religious beliefs."