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Loading ...Court: Christian school can expel lesbian students
01.28.2009 10:38am EST
(Riverside, California) A California appeals court has ruled that a Christian high school can expel students because of an alleged lesbian relationship.
The 4th District Court of Appeal in Riverside on Monday upheld California Lutheran High School’s right as a private, religious organization to exclude students based on sexual orientation.Two girls sued claiming they were discriminated against after they were expelled from the Wildomar school in 2005. A lower court said the school isn’t bound by the same anti-discrimination laws as a business establishment.
John McKay, attorney for California Lutheran, says the school’s goal is to educate based on Christian principles.
The attorney for the girls could not be immediately reached.
and just what are “christian principals?” the right to teach hate and bigotry? The right to deny others the same quality of life that you have?
The right to burn “witches” at the stake?
Tell me more
If schools expel students for being Gay they should have to offer them, therapy from an non religious source.
Tom in Long Beach
I think the “religious views” behind this discrimination are only a pretext, and CLHS’s real motivation is bigotry. Schools are responsible to their students and community. This school is harming its students, including its heterosexual students, by teaching them that bigotry is acceptable. Obviously, it’s harming the two expelled students by disrupting their lives. It’s harming Riverside and California by contributing to inequality and social injustice. Finally, CLHS is sullying the name of Jesus by claiming to be Christian while doing something that’s unchristlike and wrong. Being part of a community involves a give-and-take. If CLHS is going to discriminate, it’s only fair that there should be some penalty, such as revoking the school’s tax exemption.
to Chris Sullivan…
WELL SAID!!!!
but its too bad they can’t take some money away from the cult in a lawsuit. Hope they can!
And yet we still have the right to make our displeasure known.
California Lutheran High School
P.O. Box 1570
Wildomar, CA 92595
California Lutheran High School
31970 Central Avenue
Wildomar, CA 92595
clhs.office@clhs-chawks.org
Then that school should lose their tax-free status. No one should be discriminated upon. What ever happened to the seperation of state and religion? And they claim love of Christ and all of God’s children, EXCEPT when they are lesbians.
Let’s hope more people see this as discrimination and avoid these schools. No one to pay tuition= school closing. We need a gay school, but we won’t discriminate. Inclusiveness is a good thing. I could never bring myself to believe in their version of ‘god the discriminator’….maybe others will start to see that too and avoid religion all together. The way I see it, if your religion tells you you’re better than others…there’s something wrong with your religion.
I hope this school does not receive ANY tax money at all. If they do then the court erred if not the court is correct.
As an atheist, my interactions with religious groups can be summed up in a comic I saw online.
It shows a guy about to break a cross over his knee when a priest steps in saying, “Stop! Can’t we have a reasonable, respectful discussion about this?” The Atheist stops, thinks a moment and agrees to the discussion. He hands the cross over to the priest. To which the priest then turns around and starts beating the man over the head while shouting “Heretic! Blasphemer! Commie! You’re going to Hell!”
I thought that sexual orientation was still “suspect class” in California and prevented discrimination in the name of “god.” However, this just reinforces the fact that religion is the biggest EVIL on this earth. They expect everyone to drop what they are doing and “respect” them. WRONG! Well, I for sure won’t.
“the school’s goal is to educate based on Christian principles.” hmmmm that means they are teaching their students that if they have sex before marrige they will be stonned, and that if they disobay their parents they will be put to death. thats what it says in the bible. it is also teaching them that it is ok for them to kill other christians for money…. I mean after all thats what happened in the Crusades. the Pope sent christians to kill another group of christians to get more cash. and isnt that braking 2 of the 10 comandments? thou shall not kill and thou shall not steal? I belive 100% in God, but I dont belive this type of religion is what God would want.
I hate religious academic institutions! I would disagree with the school’s decision to expel two female students just because they happen to be lesbians. Why can’t heterosexual homophobes just put a sock in it about the LGBT community?! It’s their life, let them live it. I’m openly lesbian and I think that’s just unfair! As for that Chris Sullivan: HOW ABOUT THINKING A LITTLE STRAIGHTER CONSIDERING THAT YOU’RE APPARENTLY STRAIGHT? EXPULSION FROM SCHOOL IS NOT GOOD FOR RESUMES! Religious institutions are for the rich who still can’t afford to pay taxes.
Well for some being ostracized is a very traumatic thing and should never be taken lightly. The two most important places where acceptance should occur are within ones biological and spiritual family units. Whaen this does not occur our youth leave very hurt and subject to many predators all over this country. In short they usually end up in the night club/ drug scene trying to cope rather than being allowed to experience the quality of life they need to gain the wisdom it takes to make right decisions which show forth the love of self which allows us to Love one another and not just lust one another. The Lutherans have thrown the baby out with bath water on this one. And forced many more students into a state of fear and closet living. I hope the mature Christians help form Schools where our youth may be themselves safely and without harsh judgement. Looks like the girls are going to have to go to the Feds in D. C.
The unfortunate issue that the courts are being confronted with is – what are the boundaries of freedom of religion and the civil rites of GLBT people. In theory, I have no problem with these cult-like schools not wanting GLBT people as these environments are unhealthy from multiple angles. Yet, I am concerned for the GLBT youth who are put into these schools by their families and have to endure them at an age where they are coming to terms with their sexuality. Being in an environment that destructive to your self-esteem that you cannot get out of is exceedingly harmful to the emotional well being of these GLBT kids. All we may be able to do right now as a community is provide as much confidential outreach to these kids as possible.
Being expelled from this cult is the best thing that could have happened to these two girls. I would highlight it on my resume if I were either of them and wear it as a badge of honor!