Christian Student Loses Battle in Court against University

July 29, 2010

An American university student who claims she was kicked out of her graduate program because of her Christian beliefs has lost her case in court after trying to sue her school.

U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh said Jennifer Keeton’s lawsuit against Eastern Michigan University was unfounded and violated the policies of her graduate counseling program.

Steeh claims the university is discriminating against her because of her Christian beliefs. On several occasions, she has spoken out against homosexuality, calling it a “lifestyle choice.” She also claims that gender is strictly binary.

Eastern Michigan University praised the decision.
 

“We are pleased that the court has upheld our position in this matter,” spokesman Walter Kraft said in a written statement. “Julea Ward was not discriminated against because of her religion. To the contrary, Eastern Michigan is deeply committed to the education of our students and welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds into our community.”
 

The university, according to Judge Steeh, simply followed adopted the guidelines of the ACA Code of Ethics.

“Furthermore, the university had a rational basis for requiring students to counsel clients without imposing their personal values,” he wrote in a portion of his ruling posted by The Detroit News. “In the case of Ms. Ward, the university determined that she would never change her behavior and would consistently refuse to counsel clients on matters with which she was personally opposed due to her religious beliefs – including homosexual relationships.”
 

Image source: Pwojdacz