The Bowling Green State University Air Force ROTC color guard will not be participating in National Day of Prayer ceremonies Thursday at noon on the steps of the Wood County Courthouse.
In a message to faculty, William Balzer, vice president for faculty affairs and strategic initiatives, said the commander of the ROTC detachment “has determined that the event runs counter to the Air Force’s established accessibility and inclusion requirements based on race, religion, sex or color.”
The county Day of Prayer stirred controversy when the organizer insisted that only Christians would participated, and some Christian denominations, including Mormons, would not be allowed to speak.
Balzer said BGSU was not participating, but “the U.S Department of Defense has autonomy in governing the ROTC and its functions, including its color guards.”
Faculty had raised questions about the participation of the color guard.
