Judge Rules That Christianity Is Indeed No Longer Allowed At Public Universities

posted at 12:30 pm on July 29, 2010 by Cassy Fiano
[ Education ]   

Originally posted at David Horowitz’s Newsreal:

The internet has been buzzing about the story of Jennifer Keeton. She was a student at Augusta State University, trying to get a degree in counseling. An outspoken Christian, Keeton is not supportive of so-called “gay rights.” She was not shy about expressing her biblical perspective on homosexuality both in and out of class, and the university responded by expelling her. They claim that a bias against homosexuality disqualifies her from a certification in counseling, and gave her the option of undergoing a remediation program, complete with gay sensitivity training (read: brainwashing), or expulsion. And so, Keeton sued the school.

According to Keeton’s civil complaint, school officials met with her a number of times this spring to express concern over her open disagreement with gay and lesbian lifestyles in her classes and her writing assignments.

“You couldn’t be a teacher, let alone a counselor, with those views,” a faculty member told her during one meeting, according to the complaint.

The officials outlined a remediation plan for Keeton that would include such things as participating in diversity sensitivity workshops, completing reading and writing assignments on the topic and possibly attending the Augusta Gay Pride Parade, the complaint said.

She refused, writing in an e-mail to Augusta State officials, “[Y]ou are requiring me to alter my objective beliefs and also to commit now that if I ever may have a client who wants me to affirm their decision to have an abortion or engage in gay, lesbian, or transgender behavior, I will do that.

“I can’t alter my biblical beliefs, and I will not affirm the morality of those behaviors in a counseling situation.”

You know, one might think that if Keeton’s religious views on homosexuality made her a bad counselor, that it would be her problem. You might think that if a client had a problem with her views of homosexuality, they could find another counselor. It’s frankly outrageous that a university would force a student to undergo a homosexual brainwashing program because they disagreed with her religious beliefs. There is freedom of religion in this country, after all. Oh, and freedom of speech, too. The university is basically forcing a student to undergo a thought reform program, because they don’t like what her point of view or her beliefs. They’re trying to spin it otherwise, like they don’t mind her beliefs — as long as she keeps her mouth shut and never, ever mentions them. So basically, this university believes that Christians should only be Christian behind closed doors. Thousands of Christians across the country believe exactly the same thing that Keeton believes, so are they not welcome at Augusta State, either? We’re back to Christianity being targeted and attacked, where Christians aren’t allowed to be Christians in the public square. God forbid those poor helpless fragile victims, the gays, be offended!! (You can see Ed’s take on Keeton’s case here.)

Unfortunately, a federal judge has ruled in favor of another university who did something similar. So, guess what? Christianity is apparently no longer allowed on public universities. Freedom of religion?! Please! The delicate sensibilities of the gays and the politically correct crowd are so much more important than silly things like freedom of speech and religion.

A federal judge has ruled in favor of a public university that removed a Christian student from its graduate program in school counseling over her belief that homosexuality is morally wrong

… U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh dismissed [Julea] Ward’s lawsuit against Eastern Michigan University. She was removed from the school’s counseling program last year because she refused to counsel homosexual clients.

The university contended she violated school policy and the American Counseling Association code of ethics.

… The case is similar to a lawsuit the [Alliance Defense Fund] filed against Augusta State University in Georgia. Counseling student Jennifer Keeton was allegedly told to stop sharing her Christian beliefs in order to graduate.

Keeton’s lawsuit alleged that she was told to undergo a reeducation program and attend “diversity sensitivity training.”

The American Counseling Association’s code of ethics does not trump the First Amendment. And this judge has now ruled that approval of homosexuality is now mandatory in public universities. The country founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs is now requiring Christians not to express those Judeo-Christian beliefs. This is what “embracing diversity” is all about, after all. Only acceptable kinds of diverse backgrounds and beliefs are allowed. Public universities are, in two separate cases, imposing ideological beliefs onto their students and the kicking them out if they don’t comply.

You cannot impose a religious test for graduation or employment or anything else, no matter how many delicate sensibilities are offended. We either believe in freedom of religion (and not freedom FROM religion), or we don’t. No matter how these universities try to spin their anti-Christian prejudices, the fact remains that they are discriminating against these students for their Christian beliefs — and they’re getting away with it. Christian or not, approve of homosexuality or not, if you value freedom, that should scare you.

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Follow Cassy on Twitter and read more of her work at CassyFiano.com and Hard Corps Wife.

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