Reason but that's how the pendulum has swung at this current time.
Also, a lot of those students actually would say that thing if they thought they could get away with it.
Also, there are some students in parts of the country that would say blank atheists if if they thought they could and it wouldn't hurt their image.
Heck I have some family that would say blank ex Mormons if they could. They may not say it but it doesn't make them any less bigoted in their heart.