Tennesee university wins constitutional right to ban gay people and women

[Supersonic 49,376]

The LGBT movement has achieved many notable victories this year, securing marriage equality, major attacks on conversion therapy and more. But one Christian university just demonstrated why activists and allies must not become complacent: Carson-Newman University, a private Southern Baptist college in Tennessee, is now legally allowed to ban students whose "lifestyles" are interpreted as an affront to their Christian philosophy: gay students and others included.

The ban. "This is who we are as a Christian university," Dr. Randall O'Brien, president of the university, told CBS affiliate WVLT on Monday. "These are our religious principles. And in a changing world, we would like to reaffirm that this is who we are and who we intend to be."

O'Brien's legal counsel encouraged him to file the waiver, which exempts the school from allowing students protections usually afforded to them under Title IX. The university's president claimed doing so only "strengthen our First Amendment rights."  

These "strengthened" rights include not only the ability to ban gay students, but also unwed mothers, women who've had abortions and even pregnant students, according to WVLT. And Carson-Newman is hardly the only college now able to do so: The university's legal counsel filed similar waivers for many other Christian schools, according to the same report, and 30 others are similarly exempt from Title IX. 

Read more: http://mic.com/articles/130154/this-christian-university-just-won-the-right-to-ban-gay-students?utm_source=policymicTBLR&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=social#.6BcuMtzwV

[Leo 3,000]

Whhhhaaaaa?

Everytime I see the LGBT tag on a topic, I hope so badly that it's good news. 

This is so sad. There are still so many people who will fight vehemently against progress and equality

[Curunir 7,510]

[Benji 20,113]

F*cking idiots.

There's no other words I can come up with.

[Kermit 15,807]

I live in Tennessee, bye.

 

[JGD 12,098]

Flop university.

 

[Aura Veil 2,395]

Religious and private universities are the worst. They abuse the loopholes, and they validate their discrimination through religion. Get education elsewhere because ain't nobody got time for bullsheet

[eifulien 3,044]

Just consider this - it is happening in one of the most developed countries in the world. Not saying US is a "pioneer" in providing human rights esp. to LGBT people, but it is among the top. 

So that's a good reminder that the fight in society is still very far from over. In fact, maybe with the laws that are passed, we are just laying the grounds for a much more serious battle with people's perceptions and prejudice.

[Bette Davis 12,742]

"This is who we are as a Christian university".. Hateful, judgmental and discriminatory. How "Christian" of them. 

[Chromatislaps 34,854]

 

[Travis 543]

Yep, another in Chattanooga, TN, where I grew up, also just got this to pass for them as well. 

http://newschannel9.com/news/local/covenant-college-receives-waiver-for-title-9-exemption

[Morphine Prince 109,671]

This is so wrong. 

[Batwings 12,957]

As someone who works at a public university, I seriously question the validity of these types of colleges. The general curriculum at my university is very diverse and encourages students to engage with a broad range of ideas, beliefs, and cultures (and by some, we're even considered to be a somewhat conservative university). I have to wonder what type of curriculum is being taught by schools like these and whether or not one could consider this curriculum to be conducive to any sort of legitimate education.

 

[Lion Heart 15,041]

>>a private Southern Baptist college

 

Ah there you are :coffee: Not surprised tbh. 

 

And because they are a private religious school, they can actually get a way with it.

The law allows any school "controlled by a religious organization” to seek an exemption if complying “would not be consistent with the religious tenets of such organization.”

[Lion Heart 15,041]

>>>The university's attorney has also filed applications for almost a dozen other Christian schools around the nation seeking religious exemptions to the civil rights law.

 

Look for more private religious schools to follow suit