Strike Two for Anti-Gay Counseling Students

You may recall that in July, a federal judge ruled in favor of Central Michigan University’s psychology department as they defended their decision to expel a student from the program for refusing to counsel LGBT people because her religious beliefs don’t agree with homosexuality.

Now, another student, this time from Georgia in a second decision for the second month in a row has lost a lawsuit based upon religious beliefs against homosexuality.

On Friday, Judge Randal Hall, a federal judge denied a request by Jennifer Keaton, a student in the graduate counseling program at Augusta State University to block her from being expelled for refusing to treat gay people on the basis of personal religious beliefs.

This is the second federal ruling that has backed the right of a public university to enforce the standards of its programs regardless of whether or not those standards are in conflict with a students religious beliefs. Both judges agree the standards set by the schools which require students to treat gay people on an equal basis are valid program procedures.

Both the Central Michigan Student and Keeton based their suits on the fact they were required to comply with the program standards which they claim would force them to change their Christian beliefs against homosexuality.

In his ruling Judge Hall wrote:

“This is not a case pitting Christianity against homosexuality. Matters of educational policy should be left to educators and it is not the proper role of federal judges to second guess an educator’s professional judgment.”

Of course this is considered by many from the religious right to be silencing of Christians who believe homosexuality is a sin. However, the laws do not dictate you can’t speak out against homosexuality, simply put, you can’t discriminate against members of the LGBT community if you’re going to complete the counseling program at a public university. My advise for both students, enroll at Liberty University. They have counseling programs and they will not only allow you to refuse to counsel LGBT people, they’ll advise that you do refuse.

http://www.gayagenda.com