Back in the day it was just Cumberland College (hey, I competed in math competitions there in high school), but now it's the University of the Cumberlands. They were and are a private Southern Baptist college in Kentucky. As such, they have expelled a student for practicing homosexuality:
Jason Johnson, a sophomore majoring in theater arts, was expelled from the university Thursday because he declared online that he is gay. In a statement released last week, the university's president, Jim Taylor said students are held to a "higher standard" and that "students know the rules before they come to this institution."
But a copy of the student handbook provided by the university confirmed the policy was not spelled out in 2003-04, when Johnson chose to attend. The school did not provide a copy of the policy for the 2004-05 school year. The 2005-06 student handbook says: "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."
School officials said that although the 2003-04 policy did not explicitly mention homosexuality, it did say that students must "conduct themselves, on and off the campus, in a manner which is consistent with the objectives of the College and with its standards of conduct."
Reading the article I will concede that the university acted somewhat heavy handidly in expelling him from classes with only a few weeks to go in the term. It seems as though a compromise of removing him from the dorm and forcing a transfer after the end of the semester would have been a bit less harsh.
That said, 1) can you say private and Baptist? This policy could not come as a surprise. And, 2) can you say stupid for posting this stuff on myspace?
It's interesting that all the 'privacy' advocates have little respect for the decisions made by a private institution. No one forced him to go to a private, conservative Southern Baptist college in what is essentially rural Kentucky. Yes, the college handled it poorly, but they're the ones who get to set the rules here.
5 comments:
You'll find the post found here on the
subject quite thought provoking.
Agreed that he was free to go to school whereever he wanted. Funny that he's now going to get a lawyer.
Alan...appreciate your visit to my blog and agree whole heartedly with your take on the situation. Sometimes it is difficult not making the decision but carrying it out. Perhaps that is just what happened here and I respect that they did not cave to "political correctness" for they are within legal perimeters to set the standard for their school. The "gay agenda" however will probably push the envelope on this one as they love to seek out the media to embrace their cause.
Yeah, I would agree that the school acted a little "heavy handedly." But if it's so "PRIVATE and BAPTIST," as you say, why is it getting so much money from the state of Kentucky? The news from Kentucky goes like this:
FRANKFORT - State funding for a new pharmacy school building at the University of the Cumberlands should not be included in the budget if the private school doesn't stop discriminating against gay students, a legislator warned last night.
"We should not be budgeting bigotry," Sen. Ernesto Scorsone, D-Lexington, told colleagues before voting on the $18.1 billion, two-year budget. Scorsone is the only openly gay member of the General Assembly.
The university made headlines last week when it expelled a student for disclosing on a personal Web site that he is gay.
In an unusual arrangement, the proposed budget includes $10 million of state debt to construct a pharmacy building on the school's Whitley County campus. The budget also includes $1 million to fund scholarships for students attending the college's yet-to-be created pharmacy program.
"If the University of the Cumberlands does not change its policies and practices, we will have a state benefit that is only available to heterosexuals," Scorsone said.
Republican Senate President David Williams of Burkesville, who pushed for the funding, said he didn't know the facts of the specific case involving the student, so he didn't know whether it could affect funding for the school.
"I understand that Senator Scorsone is very sensitive to gay issues since he is the only openly gay senator in Kentucky," Williams said.
Alan, would you feel the same if money from the taxpayers of Kentucky was helping to fund a new building at a university that discriminated against Christians? I doubt it.
As far as I'm concerned, the University of the Cumberlands is welcome to discriminate against Gay students or Muslim students or Pagan students or WHATEVER ... but not at taxpayers expense.
Chuck, I don't have a problem with them accepting taxpayer money per se, but I do agree with you that it opens the door to state regulation. If the defunding gains traction it will be interesting to see whether UoC has the courage of their convictions.
Scorsone is not, shall we say, a disinterested party in all of this. His father did buy me candy one time when I was a child, though.
In applying, “Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me.” I'm assuming that UoC has now kicked God out of school.
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