Student expelled for being gay
Sophomore Jason Johnson was asked to leave the University of the Cumberlands based on his statements that he was gay on his MySpace.com blog. His boyfriend has posted a call to action on his blog and has stirred up quite a reaction from the student body in support of Jason.
The student handbook as of the 2005-06 school year states:
“Any student who engages in or promotes sexual behavior not consistent with Christian principles (including sex outside marriage and homosexuality) may be suspended or asked to withdraw.”
The only problem is that students are not notified of changes in the student handbook and are only given a copy upon entering the school. Since Jason started during the 2003-04 school year he only knew of the rules as they applied then, and the aforementioned section on homosexuality was not present in the 03-04 handbook. HOWEVER, ignorance does not get you off. Just because you don’t know a rule exists, does not mean you’re exempt from that rule.
Aside from that small aside, I do not see anything wrong with his expulsion as the University in question is a privately funded University and faces no government obligation to stick to any sort of “fair and balanced” rulebook. Unfortunately for Jason, the school he chose to attend was willing to oust anyone that is gay.
Take for example, the Boy Scouts of America. They are a private organization who has a foundation in religious dogma. As such, they frown upon homosexual behavior and dismiss anyone they find to be gay. Numerous court cases have been brought against them for their “bigoted” rules, but very few have succeeded (if any). We had a member kicked out of my scout troop for declaring that he was an Atheist, and his parents just took it for what it was, and moved on.
To stress again, I am against discrimination of any kind, but someone attempting to circumvent private rules with government action is something I highly disagree with.
boohiss
11 Apr, 2006
I think people should apply a “KKK Rule” when thinking about this. Would you sue the KKK for not allowing and/or kicking out black or gay members? Of course not.
However, this sort of zero-tolerance action puts the school under a magnifying glass. If another student put a song about sex before marriage on his MySpace page (Black Eyed Peas or whatever the kids listen to these days), would that student also be summarily booted out immediately? If not, legal procedings could certainly be filed for uneven/unfair application of rules. Very dangerous territory this is.
James
11 Apr, 2006
If another student put a song about sex before marriage on his MySpace page (Black Eyed Peas or whatever the kids listen to these days), would that student also be summarily booted out immediately?
Depends on the circumstances, the problem was, that Jason’s comments were discovered or reported to school officials. If someone else posted that they were gay, or that they condoned pre-marital sex, and no one found or read their blog… one wouldn’t be surprised if they never received punishement.
But of course, that’s all hypothetical. Your point is well founded.
Ken
12 Apr, 2006
I completely agree. Although, if their policy wasn’t clear at the time of enrollment, I think a refund of tuition is in order.
As far as I can tell, Cumberlands receives no federal money. The Boyscouts, however, receive at least logistical assistance from some local governments and actually benefit from checks directly from the federal government. Following the Supreme Court decision protecting the Scouts’ free association, Congress passed two laws: The Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act and The Support Our Scouts Act. If you want to see lawmakers revealing their contempt for the Constitution of this country, go read those laws.
Scott
12 Apr, 2006
I, too, think it’s a tricky situation. But I also know (after trying to pretend I was straight in the military for 13 years) that it’s crazy to try and play games with discriminatory institutions.
JENN
13 Apr, 2006
The whole Boy Scout thing pisses me off. They do so much for the community.
Why don’t gay kids start their own groups????
James
13 Apr, 2006
You’re talking to a lifetime devoted Boy Scout supporter here.
I am an Eagle Scout, earned my God and Country award, am a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow and was an active member of the Boy Scouts of America for at LEAST 10 years.
Anyone that is willing to take on the Boy Scouts, is not a friend of mine.
Rob
13 Apr, 2006
But the school can lose its accreditation for discriminating against people who have same-sex attraction. Also saying that you are gay and that you are dating someone doesn’t mean that you are having sex. I’m sure the good moral straights that are dating at that school aren’t having sex.
ken
14 Apr, 2006
Separate but equal, huh? Actually I think they did start their own youth group, and it’s called Drum Core.
Kidding aside, I too think the Boy Scouts actually do a lot of great things for kids. Group activities, being outdoors, learning skills, etc — these are all great ideas. If they were of no value, no one would care about their discriminatory policies. But there is one area where the Boy Scouts don’t practice what they preach — respect for others. You cannot simultaneously respect others and discriminate based on religion and sexual orientation. The Boy Scouts claim to advocate good citizenship, but for the same reason, it’s completely incompatible. How can they at one time promote leadership and at the same time demonstrate such atrocious leadership?
So no, I don’t support the Boy Scouts. However, I still buy Girl Scout cookies. I don’t like their cookies, but I buy them anyway — the thin mints are the most edible. Unlike the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts do not discriminate based on religion or sexual orientation, and actually, they never have. Shocking as it is, Girl Scouts still manage to do a lot for society without being bigots. The Boy Scouts should take note.
On a technical note, I respect the Boy Scout’s free association and absolutely do not think they should be legally compelled to change their ways. However, because it is illegal for any PUBLIC entity to discriminate based on sexuality or religion, they shouldn’t be able to donate money to organizations that do. That is, any corporate or government support of the Boy Scouts should be banned, and the Boy Scouts should refund any recent donations from such entities.
Unfortunately, Congress isn’t willing to enforce the Constitution. But many corporations and voluntarily withdrawn support for the Boy Scouts, and I applaud them for doing that.
BTW, I’m not gay.
James
14 Apr, 2006
Actually I think they did start their own youth group, and it’s called Drum Core.
Ken, it’s Corps (A body of persons acting together or associated under common direction.), not Core (The center or innermost part)… and even if you are kidding, I don’t think you want to go there if you’d like to be welcomed here. I’m an alumni of the Phantom Regiment D&BC and Drum Corps was also where I met my wife. DC is probably one of the most important aspects of who I am today, second to the Boy Scouts.
Regardless of your belief that they don’t practice what they preach, here’s the way I see it.
“Respect for others” – I respect anyone that is willing to put forth effort to be a successful, and productive member of society. I learned a great deal about respect in the Boy Scouts, and the way I see it, exclusion is a two way street. Take for instance the fact that up until recently, the BSA did not allow female members. Just because you’re a girl, you could not join the BSA but that does not mean that the BSA does not respect women, it just so happens to be a club for male members of society. Just because I am a member of a group that wishes not to include gay men, does not mean I myself dislike gay men. It’s actually quite the contrary. I look at gay people as I would anyone else, they have every right to be on this earth, living in this country as I do, but by your admission, simply because the BSA wishes not to accept them into their membership, that they are somehow disrespecting them doesn’t jive with me.
In my many years with the BSA I saw the expulsion of several members, and friends from the organization on the grounds of disrespect to others, and yes even gay members. So don’t try to tell me that the BSA simply does not respect those it wishes not to extend membership to.
John
15 Apr, 2006
Ken, go join the Girl Scouts and enlist as a leader. Volunteer to take the girls out for an over night. Then tell me if they discriminated based on sexual orientation.
ken
15 Apr, 2006
Sorry guys. It’s just wrong. Justify it all you want, but it’s immoral and the BSA organization should be banned from public contribution.
Rachel
18 Apr, 2006
I do not wish to comment on the BSA issue, but I do want to mention something about the University of the Cumberlands. This year, they accepted a SUBSTANTIAL amount of money from the government to build a pharmacy school on their campus. I understand that they are a private school and can choose to exclude whoever they want. Jason Johnson has no room to contest his expulsion (although I do think that it is bullshit that they flunked him for the semester). However, I have a SERIOUS problem with my tax money going to support a university that has such discriminatory standards. So I don’t think that he is “attempting to circumvent private rules with government action” so much as draw attention to the fact that the university will be building a pharmacy school with government money that will be available to only heterosexual students.
James
18 Apr, 2006
I doubt his goal is to “uncover” the pharmacy building… his stated goals were to go after the ruling that booted him out of school (bull or not).
I DO believe that this government funded building project needs to have a serious re-evaluation if they are to set such standards on their students. If you want that building so bad… have yourselves a hefty fundraiser, or hike up tuition… don’t have ME pay for it.
DK
18 Apr, 2006
It does not matter if you think the Cumberlands are discriminating against someone’s sexual orientation. They do have set rules regarding sex outside of marriage and they do not condone homosexuality even when sex is not involved. Remember that UofC is a Christian institution based on Christian princples. According to Scripture (the Bible) homosexuality is not condoned but is condemned. It is an abomination against God. If the school allowed Jason to continue his way of life at the school it would mean they are the ones being hypocrites. But they aren’t. They are taking a stand not against homosexuals, but against homosexuality, the sin. Students at the school who have stood up for Jason have said, “Jesus is love. Shouldn’t we love him (Jason)?” Jesus is God. God is love. God is also just. The school cannot, as a Christian school, accept something they do not believe in. Instead, by realizing God is just they have to take the stand they have. Since Easter has just passed it is good for us to realize what sin, including homosexuality, has done. It is the reason Jesus died on the cross and with glory rose again. Jesus lived a perfect life and on the cross bore our sins in a criminal’s death that we should have died. He was separated from God (His Father) for a brief time, and that had never happened to Him before. Because He defeated death He gives us a way to have a relationship with Him, God. The reason God separated Himself from His Son is because God HATES sin. Could you imagine the sin of all the world on one person? God is just. We have hope in Jesus. I believe the Cumberlands realized this and realizes that Jason’s soul is important, but there is no way they can accept a sin that is an abomination against God, the One they serve.
James
18 Apr, 2006
You probably could have spared us the novel, we KNOW that they are justified in their expulsion of this student… what was pointed out was that if they are to abide by such rules, they are not to allow any outside donations from government agencies like they aparently have.
ken
18 Apr, 2006
It seems to me that obviously Cumberlands and the BSA should be compelled to give back all money they’ve ever received from public institutions. If they can’t pay it back, that’s what bankruptcy is for.
James
18 Apr, 2006
Well we all know you’d cream your shorts to see the BSA go bankrupt, BUT I see nothing wrong with any public entity funding them or any private universities… the only entity that I feel needs to pay close attention to where it puts it’s cash… is the government.