A congresswoman and member of the Air Force Academy’s Board of Visitors sent a letter this week to the U.S. House of Representatives asking them to support the academy.
Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, praised the academy for its response to a sexual-assault scandal and a perceived religious-intolerance problem.
“Let me state this clearly – I have never seen an institution face its problems more courageously, examine itself more carefully and set goals to achieve change more clearly,” Granger wrote.
She said the problem of religious intolerance – a perception that Christian cadets were favored over non-Christians – was discovered by the academy and addressed by the academy.
Granger wrote that the media have “blown this issue completely out of proportion.”
An Air Force task force issued a report in June that acknowledged a perception of religious intolerance but found no evidence of overt religious discrimination.
The task force recommended that the Air Force develop guidelines to establish boundaries on religious expression. Interim guidelines are expected to be made public Monday or Tuesday.
Johnny Whitaker, spokesman for the academy, thanked the congresswoman for her attentiveness on the board and said the academy will look to her in the future for more of the insight and perspective that she has provided.
“We know we’re not there yet, but we’re going to count on her support, both for the academy and on the board. We appreciate this,” Whitaker said.
Staff writer Erin Emery can be reached at 719-522-1360 or eemery@denverpost.com.
