Court Upholds Expulsion of Counseling Student Who Opposes Homosexuality
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A federal judge ruled schools can expel students, like Julea Ward, who believe homosexuality is morally wrong. Ward's lawsuit against Eastern Michigan University was dismissed.
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. Monday's ruling, according to Julea Ward's attorneys, could result in Christian students across the country being expelled from public university for similar views.
“It’s a very dangerous precedent,” Jeremy Tedesco, legal counsel for the conservative Alliance Defense Fund, told FOX News Radio. “The ruling doesn’t say that explicitly, but that’s what is going to happen.”
U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh dismissed 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.
“Christian students shouldn’t be expelled for holding to and abiding by their beliefs,” said ADF senior counsel David French. “To reach its decision, the court had to do something that’s never been done in federal court: uphold an extremely broad and vague university speech code.”
Eastern Michigan University hailed the decision.
“We are pleased that the court has upheld our position in this matter,” EMU spokesman Walter Kraft said in a written statement. “Julea Ward was not discriminated against because of her religion. To the contrary, Eastern Michigan is deeply committed to the education of our students and welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds into our community.”
In his 48-page opinion, Judge Steeh said the university had a rational basis for adopting the ACA Code of Ethics.
“Furthermore, the university had a rational basis for requiring students to counsel clients without imposing their personal values,” he wrote in a portion of his ruling posted by The Detroit News. “In the case of Ms. Ward, the university determined that she would never change her behavior and would consistently refuse to counsel clients on matters with which she was personally opposed due to her religious beliefs – including homosexual relationships.”
Ward’s attorneys claim the university told her she would only be allowed to remain in the program if she went through a “remediation” program so that she could “see the error of her ways” and change her belief system about homosexuality.
The case is similar to a lawsuit the ADF 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.”
University officials declined to comment on specifics of the lawsuit but released a statement to FOX News that said Augusta State does not discriminate on the basis of students’ moral, religious, political or personal beliefs.
Tedesco said both cases should be a warning to Christians attending public colleges and universities.
“Public universities are imposing the ideological stances of private groups on their students,” he said. “If you don’t comply, you will be kicked out. It’s scary stuff and it’s not a difficult thing to see what’s coming down the pike.”
The Alliance Defense Fund told FOX News it will appeal the ruling.
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The problem with this case is that if she was white and supported racism against blacks, she would have been thrown out and no one would have dared question that decision.
HOWEVER, because she hates fags, people are creaming that her rights are being taken away.
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I love how judges can issue 48 page or more rulings and these Christian groups just keep harping on the same things - that a person is being discriminated against because of their religion! Then go to a Christian college!
Admittedly, I haven't delved into the specifics of this case, but having talked to enough "religious" people for decades of my life, I will take at face value "refuses to counsel homosexuals" is valid. Now, Ms. Ward was kicked out because even if a homosexual was having problems dealing wtih a partner, a qualified counselor would offer the same advice to a straight couple: open lines of communications, problem solve; but if your core values do not agree (etc) - you may need to find another partner! What is so hard to understand about that? Helping people solve their problems is NOT an endorsement of their lifestyle. Hurray for the court and I hope it isn't overturned!
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… even if a homosexual was having problems dealing with a partner, a qualified counselor would offer the same advice to a straight couple: open lines of communications, problem solve; but if your core values do not agree (etc) - you may need to find another partner! What is so hard to understand about that? Helping people solve their problems is NOT an endorsement of their lifestyle. Hurray for the court and I hope it isn't overturned!
She, herself, should have spoken with her teachers/counselors on how to deal with this personal conflict she was having, then she
could have given similar sound advice without compromising her beliefs. I guess it shows she can't think outside the box, and therefore
would not be a very good counselor. She should pursue another major; hopefully, NOT Nursing. -
i would say that even if she believed homosexuality to be morally wrong, she should only be expelled if she acted negatively against a homosexual without due cause/provocation. Since she wasn't counseling homosexuals, then yes, she was committing a discriminatory act.
How can you possibly be a good counselor if you have sexual blinders?
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Wonder if she had any issues with counseling hetrosexual students about sexual matters outside of marriage as well.
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somehow i doubt it. she must have thought "Oh, that's part of growing up"… true to her double-standard gay bashing ways.
