TODAY: Liberty University Students To Protest Against Jerry Falwell Jr. As He Vows Revenge Against His Critics

Religion News Service reports:

In the wake of reports alleging objectionable rhetoric and conduct by Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., students at the evangelical Christian school plan to call for internal and external investigations into the president and administration at a protest on campus Friday (Sept. 13).

“We are not calling for Falwell to resign right now,” said Elizabeth Brooks, a sophomore at the school and the main organizer of the student protest. But in a mission statement Brooks wrote, she stated that the official position of the demonstration is to “bring to light the truth of these allegations of various misconduct.”

Brooks and her fellow student Ian Parish, who is assisting with the protest’s efforts, said they have seen a shift in the student body against Falwell that hasn’t been seen in the school’s recent history. “The mood is changing from ‘We wish Jerry would keep quiet’ to ‘We wish we had better representation for our school,’” Parish said. “Jerry doesn’t have our best interests at heart. He doesn’t share Liberty’s mission statement to train champions for Christ.”

The Lynchburg News & Advance reports:



Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. said Thursday evening he has the full confidence of the school’s board of trustees and the university is moving forward with legal action against leakers who have helped fuel a cascade of recent media reports alleging misconduct under his stewardship.

“If it was me, I’d turn the other cheek but this is not me,” Falwell said. “This is Liberty University and I have no choice but to do what is in the best interest of the university and that means unfortunately taking action against these people.”

Falwell’s comments come on the heels of a new report from Reuters alleging he used demeaning language to refer to students and the school’s police chief. It also comes on the eve of a planned student protest directed at Falwell.