Madison group that forced La Crescent to remove cross, at it again in Iowa

Freedom from Religion asking to close prayer area

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The same anti-religious group out of Madison that forced the city of La Crescent to remove a cross from public land is at it again in Iowa. 

The Iowa Board of Regents is examining the University of Iowa’s decision to have designated prayer and meditation spaces on campus. 

The university created the spaces in the Iowa Memorial Union earlier this year after concerns from Muslim students, faculty and staff who have trouble finding a place to fulfill their prayer obligations. 

Officials have said the spaces are available to people of all faiths. 

The Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation asked the university last month to close the rooms because of concerns over separation of church and state issues. In La Crescent, the same group forced the city to move the cross from public to private land, which was done by the Lion’s Club.

Regent legal staff say the issue is complex but that the university hasn’t been involved with the establishment of or entanglement with religion.