Lawsuit Claims College Ordered Student to Alter Religious Views on Homosexuality, Or Be Dismissed

Another example of the failure of our educational system. Augusta State University, in its attempt to be "multicultural" and "tolerant", only succeeds in promoting intolerance against religious beliefs.

From FOXNews.com:

Jennifer Keeton, 24, has been pursuing a master's degree in school counseling at Augusta State University since 2009, but school officials have informed her that she'll be dismissed from the program unless she alters her 'central religious beliefs on human nature and conduct,' according to a civil complaint filed last week....

"[Augusta State University] faculty have promised to expel Miss Keeton from the graduate Counselor Education Program not because of poor academic showing or demonstrated deficiencies in clinical performance, but simply because she has communicated both inside and outside the classroom that she holds to Christian ethical convictions on matters of human sexuality and gender identity," the 43-page lawsuit reads.

Several comments on the news website suggested that Keeton should have 1) known better than to express her "bigoted" views in class; 2) realized that her views were incompatible with counseling; or 3) never gone into such a degree program as a believing Christian. Several others indicated that they would now never go into the ASU counseling program.

This is the shame of modern "multiculturalism," especially with regard to the perceived protected class of homosexuals. Instead of fighting to stay in such counseling and psychology programs, Christians are drummed out of the counseling field with the result that the majority of counselors in the country are pro-gay and anti-religious. Maybe this is an admission that only homosexuals need counseling while Christians don't? That's obviously absurd. Yet more absurd is the idea that counselors can hold anti-religious beliefs and fairly treat Christians.

This anti-religion sentiment isn't fixed in a single department, but is endemic within the university system. Remember Ken Howell, the University of Illinois adjunct who was fired for daring to teach Catholic beliefs about homosexuality in a class on Catholicism?

How can Christians ever be able to express their own views in education when they run away from the intimidation and threats of coercive action? The answer, of course, is that Christians shouldn't run away from intimidation. Jennifer Keeton has brought up a lawsuit, and rightly so, against Augusta State University. Christians should stand up for their beliefs, despite the bigoted and unfair systems found in today's universities.