'Allegations Simply False, Misleading, and Defamatory': Liberty University Says Student 'Fabricated' Email to Defame School

Liberty University officials say a former student "fabricated" an email supposedly sent from the school that said she would be punished for her friendship with a gay male student.

The website Campus Reform reports that Lauren Elizabeth Bouma wrote a post to her Facebook page Sunday, telling her friends why she left Liberty University to attend the University of Lynchburg, because of what she called "actual evidence of what Liberty University sent me...via email."  

Bouma explained that her friend "is being discriminated against based on his life choices in accordance to the Bible."

"It's no secret that the Bible does not favor homosexuality, but for me and even my friend to be degraded and discriminated against when we cause no harm to anyone is very classless of Liberty University," she wrote.

Bouma included a heavily redacted email that was allegedly sent to her on April 11 from the school's Office of Community Life. She declined to provide the unredacted version, claiming she no longer had access to it, according to Campus Reform.

"The incident and association you have with people at this university is of great concern to us," the email posted by Bouma stated. "You have been told on several occasions that you are not allowed to graduate due to your association with other students on university property." 

"You as a Liberty University Student agreed to follow the Liberty Way and you broke this when you chose to hang out with these people," it continues. "They explicitly break the Liberty Way and in doing this, you do it too." 

The letter then indicated that Bouma was receiving two violations of the school's Honor Code.

According to the letter, her alleged violations would be discussed at an upcoming Conduct Review Committee meeting, and she was informed that possible sanctions could include an Administrative Withdrawal from the university. 

The now-deleted post was made public and was available for others to share on the social media site. 

The problem is the email was never sent to Bouma from Liberty. 

University spokesman Len Stevens told Campus Reform that Bouma's email was "fabricated" and that the school never disciplined her for her friendship with a gay male student. 

"Liberty University has looked into this claim. The email is fake and was never sent from Liberty University," Stevens affirmed. "Lauren Elizabeth Bouma was never disciplined, much less removed from Liberty University because of her friendship with or association with a member of the LGBT community. These allegations are simply false, misleading, and defamatory." 

Stevens also pointed out several contradictions in the email Bouma allegedly received. For instance, he noted that it "makes no sense," because "if a student was already told she was unable to graduate, how would she still be enrolled and subject to further discipline?"

Stevens also confirmed to the website that the content of the email Bouma claims she received was never sent by the school. 

"We know the email is false because we are in possession of all genuine emails to Lauren Elizabeth Bouma from Liberty University and can research and compare them," Stevens explained, stressing that the school "does not have a violation for 'hanging out' with people who violate The Liberty Way." 

When asked by Campus Reform if she had fabricated or altered the email in any way, Bouma told the website "there's no way to alter an email" and refused to comment further. 

Bouma is no longer a student at Liberty, school officials have confirmed.