A
angellous_evangellous
Guest
They say that they don't discriminate, and obviously they do.
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College Orders Student to Alter Religious Views on Homosexuality, Or Be Dismissed
- Thread starter Magic Man
- Start date
They say that they don't discriminate, and obviously they do.
They discriminate (and IMO justifiably) on the basis of the course requirements. Every university course and program does this. They aren't discriminating on the basis of religion.
OTOH, if they were to give this student a free pass and let her continue, they would be setting up a double standard where one set of religious beliefs get special treatment and exemptions. That would be religious discrimination, IMO.
Magic Man
Reaper of Conversation
What Penguin said.
A
angellous_evangellous
Guest
Ah, I see.
She was basing her views on non-scientific basis and needed remedial courses.
Exactly. And when presented with the need for remedial classes, decided that the best option was to sue the school claiming religious discrimination.
A
angellous_evangellous
Guest
hahaha
I wonder why a lawyer took the case.
The lawyers in question are from the Alliance Defense Fund. A right wing organization whose sole purpose seems to be to file religious discrimination cases on the part of christians who feel their rights are infringed on when confronted with the fact that they aren't getting a free pass on their bigotry everywhere.
sojourner
Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Let the splinters thereof be a reminder...
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
Yes, and she is clearly going into the wrong field for a profession. She is wanting to work with high school students, which means she is going to have several gay and transgender people approaching her for help. Considering that many of them are going to have alot of mental issues such as depression and anxiety from dealing with and coming to term with who they are, combined with the stress and mental anguish that is a normal part of being an adolescent, and when your counselor, someone who you are supposed to be able to trust and go to for emotional support gives you a cold shoulder, it can potentially create some very bad situations that could have been avoided.
It did happen so, but the first is not the cause of the other. There is no direct relation.
There is much, perhaps nearly all of that kind of work that in fact has little to do with scientific knowledge. This is not a case of science vs belief.
What it is, unless I misunderstood the article, is a situation where the specific personal beliefs of a student interfered with the level of acceptance and respect that the school demanded of their charges. It is not that different from dismissing a student that misbehaves by hitting on the people he counsels or by being openly racist.
Of course, it is possible that the article is misrepresenting the situation. I can hardly prove that she is not being discriminated. But I don't see that as the most likely interpretation of the article as it is written.
Muffled
Jesus in me
When does a course ever require a belief to pass it? I never heard of such a thing although I have heard of teachers failing students because the student didn't belive what the teacher wanted the student to believe.
Some teachers are more respctful to students opinions than others. I had a class where the teacher held Communist views and I expressed capitalist views, however the teacher didn't downgrade me for my beliefs. I think when teachers weild their power to further their own megalomaina it is not in the best interest of the school.
How would it be if the teacher was a Nazi and his final question was "explain why Jews ought to be exterminated" and then failed any student who disagreed?
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Alceste
Vagabond
They can only be accused of religious discrimination if they would NOT also send a non-religious person with a bias against LGBT to sensitivity training.
The fact that she came by views that are incompatible with the standards of her chosen profession in church does not grant her a licence to reject those standards and still obtain a degree.
She's not being singled out for being Christian, but for rejecting the professional standards of the APA.
Given that teenage homosexuals have a disproportionately high rate of suicide, her intolerance would have potentially lethal consequences if she were permitted to counsel in a secular school.
Wannabe Yogi
Well-Known Member
We all must remember that therapists follow a strict set of rules to work in their their profession. For instance dating of patients is forbidden. If a student said I have the right to date who ever I want. This person should not be admitted to a therapist program. This is because of the damage counselors have caused sleeping with there patients. When you send your child to a therapist there should be a minimum standard of professionalism that all therapists have.
Why should you become a therapist if you don't follow the beliefs and mores of that medical profession?
Mercy Not Sacrifice
Well-Known Member
Strawman AND Godwin's Law. Not bad.
methylatedghosts
Can't brain. Has dumb.
OMG that is SOOO the same thing!
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
It's not really because she holds a certain belief. She can believe the sky is red if she wants to. But as a therapist, she can't show any prejudice she has. It's a very basic code for any doctor, therapist, social worker, or councilor. Her wanting to be a high school councilor and being vocal about her anti-gay and trans beliefs shows she is very unfit for the job, as she will be having gay and possibly some trans students approaching her for help, understanding, and possible some needed sympathy. She cannot provide this because of her own personal bias, and thus she is simply not fit for the job.
Autodidact
Intentionally Blank
What if a medical student, due to her religious beliefs, believed that disease was caused by demons rather than germs, and proper treatment required an exorcism, should she be awarded her medical degree?
brbubba
Underling
That's true, but it seems rather unclear whether or not she is actually exercising this belief in practice. It's one thing to say that homosexuality is wrong, but is she discriminating against a client? If she actually went through this type of discrimination I can't imagine she would have a job for very long at any facility.
As long as she has demonstrated an understanding of the curriculum, any denial of a degree based on personal viewpoint would be discrimination.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
The one link that showed the case file stated that she has been very vocal in and out of class about her opinions about homosexuality and transsexualism, and that she believes that the reprogramming therapy, which is NOT endorsed or condoned by the APA (they actually have spoken out against it due to inconclusive evidence to show they work), is the proper way to treat them. The last thing a high school student needs is a councilor to tell that he/she is just needs to be cured, it's a phase, and that it's a "choice." Those lines have tragically caused many people in the GLBT community to commit suicide.
It's also not all entirely about understanding the curriculum. It's also about showing your are competent enough that when you are awarded a degree, the school is saying they have confidence in you to be a good ambassador of sorts.
Alceste
Vagabond
I see a "this is COMPLETELY different because I believe it too" coming.