Elon Student Group Bans Chick-Fil-A

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Elon Student Group Bans Chick-Fil-A

Special Report - October 17, 2012
The Student Government Association (SGA) at North Carolina’s Elon University recently voted in favor of banning Chick-fil-A from the school’s student center food court because the national food chain’s president opposes the redefinition of marriage. The Elon University SGA voted 35 to 11 on October 11 in favor of a resolution drafted by Spectrum, Elon’s pro-homosexual student group, that asks the administration to “discontinue the relationship with Chick-fil-A in the new Lakeside Dining facility in favor of a food service option that will align with the University’s values...” The resolution refers to Elon University’s nondiscrimination policy that includes the protected categories of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity,” and notes that “Chick-fil-A’s charitable arm, WinShape” has donated in the past to pro-family groups, such as Focus on the Family and Family Research Council, which the resolution claims, “create an environment that is unhealthy, discriminatory, hostile and offensive towards the [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual, or LGBTQIA] community and its allies.”

Despite the SGA vote, the resolution still must be approved by SGA president Darien Flowers, who has veto power. According to The Pendulum, Elon’s student newspaper, Mr. Flowers said he is still deliberating on what to do. “I have to take in a lot of information, talk with counselors and advisers, and think about what is best for the community and the university as a whole, at least from a student perspective,” Flowers is quoted as saying. “This decision weighs heavy on me.”

Even if Flowers does approve the resolution, Elon University’s president and other administration officials will decide whether the SGA’s vote stands, and if the campus Chick-fil-A is replaced with another restaurant. Interestingly, in a recent online poll conducted by The Pendulum, 64 percent of the 421 student respondents said they opposed “the removal of Chick-fil-A from campus.”

Elon University is not the first university in North Carolina to consider banning Chick-fil-A from campus due to its support for traditional marriage. Student-led petitions to ban the pro-family restaurant chain from college and university campuses have been circulated at Duke University, Appalachian University, North Carolina State University, and Davidson College, among others. Duke University recently ended its contract with the on-campus Chick-fil-A, although university officials have said the decision was made prior to the controversy, and that Duke will also not be renewing its contract with the on-campus Subway restaurant.

After surveying students and holding a campus forum on the issue, the student group responsible for activities programs at Davidson College has officially decided to stop serving Chick-fil-A during the college’s “After Midnight” events during this academic year. The Union Board at Davidson announced in August that it was temporarily halting its use of Chick-fil-A for its “After-Midnight” program while it considered the issue. On September 18, Union Board president Andriana Nassar and vice president Joe Cameron made that decision official, stating: “Based on feedback gathered, the Union Board believes the interests of Davidson students are best served by not patronizing Chick-fil-A for this school year.”

However, in an official statement released by Davidson College, the administration said it was “not involved in the decision” regarding Chick-fil-A, and that “the Union Board's decision is in no way an official position of the college.” The statement continued, “There is no formal relationship between Davidson College and Chick-fil-A, and the restaurant has no facility on campus. Other student groups, as well as individual students, faculty and staff are free to serve Chick-fil-A at their events and to patronize the restaurant.”

Related resources:
NC Colleges Link Marriage and Food - August 13, 2012
Universities Warned On Chick-fil-A - August 6, 2012
Billy Graham Defends Chick-fil-A - July 30, 2012
National Chick-Fil-A Days - July 25, 2012