Fatima Shahbaz and Jessica Boyer, juniors at McLean High School in
Fairfax County, Va., are a pair of debaters who as a team have gone
undefeated this season in the Virginia High School League. But as the
state’s top students gather at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. for
the state debate championship Friday, the teenagers and several other
debaters will be sitting it out.

Debaters from at least five Northern Virginia high schools decided to
boycott the state tournament because of remarks made by Liberty
University president Jerry Falwell Jr. that they perceived to be
anti-Muslim. At a convocation in December, Falwell urged students to
obtain concealed-carry permits and arm themselves so they could “end
those Muslims” — a statement he has said was referring only to the
Islamic terrorists who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, Calif., not
all Muslims.

Shahbaz is Muslim and her parents expressed concerns over her safety at
Liberty, where students with concealed-carry permits can carry guns and
keep them in residence halls. Debate coaches said other Muslim students
felt similarly fearful

- - -

From the Wash Post.

Frankly, I am appalled that any such event involving public school
students would be held at a university of bigotray like "Liberty."