Student Expelled For Coming Out

[NathanATX]

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky...l/14340025.htm

The young man's story WITH audio clips...

[Dash]

They confronted him last week with a printout of the site, an order to leave the school and failing grades for a semester that probably would have ended with honors.

The university did not return calls seeking comment yesterday.

Not content, of course, to simply banish him from their community...they must also put a black mark on his academic record! They want to make sure the gays know that not only are they not welcome in their world...If they can, they'll hurt 'em in the secular world too.

[Zerbie]

I missed that about the failing grades, the first time I looked.

*they changed his grades???* If so, I think that can wrong can be righted - how would they get away with that? Is it part of policy? If a straight A student violates the "homosexual conduct" rule (or whatever they call their policy), the university is permitted to alter his grades??? I doubt it.

That action needs to be challenged.

[keltic63]

Originally Posted by Zerbie

I missed that about the failing grades, the first time I looked.

*they changed his grades???* If so, I think that can wrong can be righted - how would they get away with that? Is it part of policy? If a straight A student violates the "homosexual conduct" rule (or whatever they call their policy), the university is permitted to alter his grades??? I doubt it.

That action needs to be challenged.

I'm only guessing here, but from my short stint at teaching at the college level, the grades are not final until turned in at the end of the semester. So while the student may have had passing grades up to the point of his expulsion, the final grade could indeed be a failing grade because he did not complete the courses. So, nothing has been altered, it's more that he didn't complete the requirements for the classes.

[Zerbie]

So they don't reflect a withdrawal? Is that part of the punishment for violating policy, that you get Fs for not completing the coursework you are not permitted to complete?!

I hope Jason is at least looking into the possibility of his grades reflecting a course withdrawal.

[keltic63]

Originally Posted by Zerbie

So they don't reflect a withdrawal? Is that part of the punishment for violating policy, that you get Fs for not completing the coursework you are not permitted to complete?!

there you go. hey! that's a lot like telling gay people they can't get married, then criticizing them for having sex outside of marriage!

[closetcougar]

Originally Posted by Zerbie

I missed that about the failing grades, the first time I looked.

*they changed his grades???* If so, I think that can wrong can be righted - how would they get away with that? Is it part of policy? If a straight A student violates the "homosexual conduct" rule (or whatever they call their policy), the university is permitted to alter his grades??? I doubt it.

That action needs to be challenged.

This has happened to students at BYU as well. I don't think that this has ever been challenged, although it might after this semester.

[Daniel]

See the link below:

http://365gay.com/Newscon06/04/041906kyStudent.htm

[NathanATX]

Originally Posted by Daniel

See the link below:

http://365gay.com/Newscon06/04/041906kyStudent.htm

Awesome! That's really great!

[Jamie McDaniel]

I drove down to Williamsburg this morning for the rally. I just got back a few minutes ago. It was great to see the students speaking out against Jason being expelled. There were about 5-6 students from the University of the Cumberlands. The rest were from other Kentucky schools.

It was discussed that the issue is not just that the University expelled a gay student, but that the school is also receiving $11,000,000 from the state.

Here are some pictures I took.

[trulyme212]

As far as grades...

I don't know how is works there but at my school if you are expelled you can't transfer the credits you took. It's like loosing everything.....

Not only are you kicked out but everything you ever did there disappears.

If that DOESN'T happen to him, he's lucky!

[f350guy]

Jamie,

I've been following this story and the bus riders on your web. You guys are doing a great job, plus I’ve been systematically reading everything on the web I can get my hands on. If they are getting moneys from the state that are tied to federal funding is there a way to cut them off if they are using discrimination as there bases or our we without a leg to stand on.

Rick

[f350guy]

PS: The money going to the school is our tax money too, what would it mean to the federal government if every gay person in America withheld payment to the student loan program till the laws allowed us to sit in any classroom supported by the program. The way it is now we have to hide our identity just to get on the bus, let alone sit at the back. I have five college degrees the last three I used federally supported student loans. If you withheld payments, they would have to be held in a trust fund with full disclosure to them. Its been done before on other disputes with the government, hick they do it. If a college is going to participate in the federal student loan program then the program has to be open to ALL students, they certainly don't want us LGBT's be DUM and not be able to pay all their taxes.

Rick

[Jamie McDaniel]

www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/14383798.htm

[zacxdreyer09]

In the Kentucky Senate today senator Williams asked that senators call the number (502) 564-2611 and ask for "Ernie" and tell him to help pass the checks to get the University of the Cumberlands it's money to build a pharmacy school. Well, I say that why don't supporters of Jason Johnson call the same number and ask the Governor to not pass the checks!



Again that number is...

(502) 564-2611


... and remember.. ask for Ernie!

[Jamie McDaniel]

Here is the University's statement. You will notice the sentence, "...Jason is free to pursue his academic career at an institution which has values more in line with his own." To that I say the univeristy is free to pursue the $11 million from people who have values more in line with their own -- values that include keeping the university heterosexual only.

Statement of James Taylor, President
University of the Cumberlands

"Until now, the University has been unable to participate in the public discussion regarding Jason Johnson. Federal student privacy laws prohibit the University from disclosing records relating to students, including the disciplinary actions of the University.

Today the University and Jason reached an agreement which allows the University to speak, and allows him to complete this semester's course work for full academic credit.

Jason was suspended by the University for violating the University's code of conduct, which clearly states that students should not engage in sex outside of marriage, including homosexual acts, and that students who engage in such conduct may be suspended. We do not spy on our students and we do not put their personal lives under the microscope to find out who may be violating this policy. However, when it is brought to the administration's attention, as it was in Jason's case, that a student may be violating the code of conduct, the University investigates the charges and addresses any violations.

The University's mission is based on a specific set of beliefs and principles rooted in its religious faith. The student code of conduct is designed to recognize and advance those principles. The University's mission, beliefs, and code of conduct for students are not secret - they are well-known to the students who chose to attend the University of the Cumberlands.

Our policy with respect to sex outside of marriage is entirely lawful. No federal, state or local law has been violated. Not everyone likes the University's policy. But the University does not establish policy on the basis of popularity or political correctness; our policies are rooted in the values of the institution.

Jason admitted that he did not share the University's beliefs, nor agree with this part of the code of conduct. After speaking with Jason, the University suspended him. Jason appealed that suspension.

Jason has had an admirable academic career at the University of the Cumberlands. It has never been my desire to see Jason's academic future damaged by this incident. When Jason appealed his suspension, the university worked with Jason to reach an agreement that allows Jason to finish this semester's work and transfer to another institution with his academic record intact. Jason's suspension was rescinded, and Jason is free to pursue his academic career at an institution which has values more in line with his own. The University of the Cumberlands has not changed its code of conduct for students, and we do not plan to change it.

The University admits and welcomes students without regard to race, national origin, age, religion, or disability. The University has both male and female students and works hard to create a campus community which is respectful of both genders, and an environment which develops the students both academically and socially. However, all students who come to the University of the Cumberlands must understand that, regardless of their personal beliefs or opinions, students must comply with the University's code of conduct as long as they are enrolled at the University.

Some have argued that because of the University's Christian values it should not receive public funds to assist the University in its plans to provide for the state a much needed school of pharmacy. The University is only one of hundreds of nonprofit charities which serve the citizens of the state by providing education, health care, child protection, or other social services. The federal and state governments have developed models by which government and faith-based institutions may work together to meet critical public needs. The University believes the state's grant to assist the University in building a school of pharmacy is in that tradition. The University is grateful to the state and pleased to be able to create this new program which will be significant for health care in Kentucky.

The University is and will continue to be fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education for schools in the University's geographic region. The University will, at the appropriate time, apply for accreditation of its pharmacy program with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. The University expects its pharmacy program to meet all of the ACPE's standards and to receive its accreditation."

[keltic63]

How did it come to the attention of the administration that Jason may have violated the policy? How did the administration determine that Jason actually violated the policy, instead of merely disagreeing with it?

Originally Posted by James Taylor, President

Our policy with respect to sex outside of marriage is entirely lawful. No federal, state or local law has been violated. Not everyone likes the University's policy. But the University does not establish policy on the basis of popularity or political correctness; our policies are rooted in the values of the institution.

does this statement justify all policies as valid based on the argument that it is our tradition? other organizations may cite "tradition" or values rooted in the institution from the beginning; does this automatically make them acceptible?

[Vanessa White]

I am really glad for Jason for this outcome, in terms of his academic future, but what I have wondered from the beginning, is if the policy of the school regarding homosexual conduct, by admitting on MySpace that you have a homosexual orientation, how does that imply conduct? Isn't conduct behavior? And, in line with Keltic, does disagreement with a policy automatically have to mean noncompliance with a policy? There are many policies on my campus I disagree with, as do the students here, but it does not mean they are expelled because that is interpreted as not following the policies. Am I making sense here??????

[Dash]

I think you make perfect sense.

Seems to me that either President Taylor is not fully stating the policy regarding student conduct:

Originally Posted by James Taylor

...students should not engage in sex outside of marriage, including homosexual acts, and that students who engage in such conduct may be suspended.

...or he defines “homosexual acts” in such a way as to cover virtually any expression of sexuality. So then, saying he had a “boyfriend” becomes a “homosexual act.” Which seems rather ridiculous.

So, unless Jason stated on his MySpace profile that he was engaging in sexual activity, the actions against him by the university were not based on the code of conduct.

Which brings to focus the reality of discrimination: unless they are disciplining heterosexual students for just having girlfriends or boyfriends, then they really are applying a different standard to gays and lesbians than to others. This is in contradiction of all the lying attempts common to these universities to convince everyone that these policies apply to everyone equally...that GLBT are being treated the same way as everyone else...that there is no discrimination based on who they are. If someone wanted to have a chaste same-sex relationship, they are still going to be punished; however a chaste opposite-sex relationship receives no disapprobation.

But... Like you and others here, I'm delighted with the way things are turning out here! I'm so glad that Jason has the opportunity to complete the semester and transfer. I'm pleased even to hear President Taylor acknowledge Jason's "admirable academic career."

[themattperry]

I second and third all of that. The statement is revealing in a number of ways.

#1 -- The rules Colleges have in place are not precise. Terms like "homosexual behavior" and "promotion of homosexual conduct" are, I believe, intentionally vague so that they Colleges can enforce policy at their discression and without accountability. As everyone has rightly pointed out, "homosexual behavior" really could be anything. Maybe posting to mySpace and coming out is "homosexual behavior" enough.

#2 -- The president of Cumberlands is oblivious to reality in several respects. In addition to what has been pointed out, his claim that he will recieve accredation from the Parmiceutical accreditors is dubious at best. The assocation aparently has criteria forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation ... how is Cumberlands going to get around this, and how is Jackson able to make a statement like the one in his press release?

#3 -- The press release has the general air of minimization and damage control about it. For better or for worse, the damage has been done to Cumberland. Now they have to just live with the outcomes of their decisions and policies.