Evangelical Liberty University received half a billion dollars in federal aid money

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Tuesday, Apr 5, 2011 11:45 ET
War Room
Evangelical Liberty University received half a billion dollars in federal aid money

http://www.salon.com/life/education/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/04/05/liberty_university_federal_money



Liberty University, the evangelical private Christian school founded by dead apartheid-supporting bigot Jerry Falwell, received $445 million in federal financial aid money last year. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, by the way, received $420 million from the federal government.

That massive sum was thanks to the growth of Liberty's online program, which enrolled 52,000 students last year. The school is the number one recipient of Pell grant money in the state of Virginia. While it may seem like the federal government is basically subsidizing this formerly financially challenged ultra-conservative religious private school, LU's executive director of financial aid sees it differently:

For Ritz — a financial aid veteran who got his start at a small Bible college — Liberty’s use of federal financial aid does not run counter to the university’s conservative values. Liberty does not receive the federal money directly, Ritz said, but through students, who use it to pay for tuition, room and board and other expenses.

“These funds are authorized by Congress and Congress is elected by voters. . . I’ve always been in the position where I believe I’m a steward of those federal funds. I’m a steward of tax-payer money.”

And I'm sure ACORN, Planned Parenthood, and NPR feel the same way.

[Vinnie From Indy]

1. Any bets that there is MASSIVE fraud involved with Libertys bonanza?

It is hard to express my outrage at this type of bullshit!

[Enthusiast]

4. I'm with you, Vinnie.

Utter bullshit!

[Lucian]

2. And yet my college is going through tuition hikes, budget cuts...

and asking for early retirement from faculty and staff.

Why the hell does one university get $445 million????

[Tippy]

3. Tea Baggers.....see what you are missing

[pokerfan]

5. How is this possibly constitutional?

You know, that "piece of paper" the repugs made such a deal of reading at the beginning of this congress?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."