In a second case about an anti-gay counseling student, there comes some good news.
A federal judge ruled in favor of Eastern Michigan University, which kicked Julea Ward out of its masters program in counseling because she refused to counsel gay clients. She attributed her anti-gay beliefs to her Christianity and accused the school of religious bias when it demanded that she leave the program.
[1]
Ward’s attorney David French said, "Christian students shouldn’t be penalized for holding to their beliefs. When a public university has a prerequisite of affirming homosexual behavior as morally good in order to obtain a degree, the school is stepping over the legal line.”
But U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh wrote in the decision [2], "Plaintiff was not required to change her views or religious beliefs; she was required to set them aside in the counselor-client relationship - a neutral, generally applicable expectation of all counselors-to-be under the ACA (American Counseling Association) standard."
French said he plans on appealing the court’s decision.
The decision comes just days after a student in a counseling program in Georgia sued Augusta State University. Jennifer Keeton [3] said that as a Christian, she believed homosexuality to be immoral. She accused ASU of violating her first amendment rights when the school mandated that she undergo sensitivity training or that she leave the program.
Imagine the damage someone like this or the gal from Georgia could do inserting their beliefs into counseling and essentially telling gay and lesbian clients they're screwed up by their choice! Not to mention those dealing with transgender questions. I hope the appeal is also defeated.
Glenn Beck's Anti-Gay Army of God
Watch: Terry Jones' 'God Hates the Quran for Being a Fag Day' Ad
