Student Expelled for being gay

M

Mystech

Adult Supervision Required
Registered Senior Member
(CNN) -- In West Palm Beach, Florida, 18-year-old student Jeffrey Woodard and his mother have sued Woodard's former school, alleging he was unfairly expelled by the Christian school after being coaxed into telling a teacher that he is gay.
Click to expand...

http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/10/28/cnna.zahn.access/index.html

More info: http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/jc_local_news/article/0,1651,TCP_1114_2378185,00.html

Well I heard about this story earlier this evening on the news, and of course, how could I stop myself from posting a thread about it here? We all do love to talk about fags so much, after all, and I can see we’re about 3 threads deep here on the EM&J board, so what’s one more on the heap?

Apparently 18 year old Jeffrey Woodard, former student of Jupiter Christian School in Palm Beach County, Florida was taken aside by a teacher during a class, and asked in confidence if he was gay. He answered that he was, and some time later he and his mother were called for a conference with the administrators in which they gave them the alternative of getting Jeffrey counseling to help him with his “problem” or be expelled. His mother asserted that her son didn’t need counseling, and Jeffrey was later expelled from the school.

Now there is apparently no laws or ordinances in Palm Beach County Florida which prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, at least not for schools, but still Jeffrey’s parents are suing Jupiter Christian School for breach of contract. Apparently in their student/parent hand book three grounds for expulsion are listed, those being committing a felony, assaulting a teacher, or bringing a weapon on campus. By all accounts that have come out thus far, Jeffery committed none of these acts, and the school refused to issue an official statement as to why they expelled Jeffery.

So what have we got here? Is this just flagrant bigotry and discrimination? Did the school, in it’s rush to judge break it’s on policies (which I’m not sure actually constitute a contract, though I know it’s the policy of many schools to have the parents of the attending student sign a contract saying that they understand and agree to the guidelines laid out in student handbooks, but I don’t know if this is the case with Jupiter Christian school), or is it simply their right to expel students at their own whim as the mood strikes them, regardless of the policy they’ve set in place.

Further more, getting to the real issue here, is it even ethical to ban a student simply because he is gay? Its something which doesn’t effect his ability to learn, and theological arguments (which I suppose apply to some degree in this situation) are tentative at best. Can one be a homosexual and a good Christian? I’d say that there are plenty of examples that one can indeed be both, sinners are still God’s children after all. .. and all that BS.
 
It is totally unethical to expell a student for being gay.

Can one be a homosexual and a good Christian?
Click to expand...

Ask all the homosexual priests out there. The whole attitude in regards to homosexuals by so called christians turns my stomach. Makes me embarrassed to be a catholic:mad:!!! And people wonder why I'm agnostic.

This boy appears to have done nothing wrong, so why should he be expelled. And as far as I can tell, there are no contractual relations in regards to his relationship to the school. I'm guessing he's paid his fees and has done nothing from the guidelines in the handbook to have him expelled... I guess from there a contract may exist... maybe an implied contract. And the fact that he'd told his teacher this in confidence... could be..

How can anyone call themselves a christian yet have such disrespect for someone just because they are homosexual. It's no wonder with attitudes such as the one expressed by this so-called christian school that teens are killing themselves because they are homosexual. So much for teachers being there to help the kids. Mystech, it's a total load of crap and schools like these should be boycotted by the other children and parents for their actions. Only then maybe there might be a change in attitude. As they say, change never comes faster unless money is involved. And christian schools depend greatly on the money given to them by outsiders. These outsiders should withdraw donations for having such blatant discriminatory policies. It's discrimination, pure and simple. And I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a region in the state of Florida does not have an anti-discrimination policy in regards to schools? What with it being a Bush state and all... It's a joke!! I hope that kid wins his case!!


:eek:
 
school administrators really are the scum of the earth. Is it any wonder we so frequently see stories about kids being expelled for no good reason?
 
There's no protection from this kind of stuft happening in private schools I think.

Ask all the homosexual priests out there. The whole attitude in regards to homosexuals by so called christians turns my stomach. Makes me embarrassed to be a catholic!!! And people wonder why I'm agnostic.
Click to expand...
It's not a catholic school? A catholic school, nevertheless, would not expel him because they accept people of other religions. If we don't expel people from church then why would we in school? Of course I could be wrong...
 
You know, sometimes it seems amazing what a big difference a stupid little border makes.

In Canada our big gay issue is gay marriages. And we're for it (for the most part).
 
Originally posted by okinrus
There's no protection from this kind of stuft happening in private schools I think.
Click to expand...
They can still sue the school for breach of contract if the school doesn't follow the policies that it sets down for its self in the student handbook. The courts have already determined that private schools have a contractual obligation to follow their own handbooks.
 
Yes, but not every circumstance can be listed in the student handbook. The school has to follow the procedure for expulsions based upon what is outlined in the handbook. Know that to the fundamentalist christian homosexuality is misconduct. However, this is not so with most christans who believe that only the homosexual act is misconduct. Nevertheless, any sort of endorsing of homosexuality could be percieved as misconduct. I don't see any evidence of it in this case though. In fact, I think they might even be able to claim some sort of emotional abuse.
 
My guess is there's probably some grounds for a breach of contract case. How, and if, this misconduct is defined might not fly in a judges eyes. If it clearly states that homosexuals are not allowed, then there's not a whole lot that can be done. Private schools don't have to allow in anyone they don't want to.
 
"Can one be a homosexual and a good Christian?" Or, can one be a christian and a good homosexual?
 
"Can one be a homosexual and a good Christian?" Or, can one be a christian and a good homosexual?
Click to expand...
No ones good but God alone but homosexuals can have the grace of God and someone who is homosexual but celebrate does not sin. James also said that "love covers many sins".
 
Originally posted by okinrus
Yes, but not every circumstance can be listed in the student handbook.
Click to expand...

As was already mentioned, in the student handbook they listed only three very distinct offences which would be grounds for expulsion. None of them was "faggotry".
 
Mental note: thoroughly review posts before talking. If Mystech is right and those are the only offenses punishable by expulsion, that's breach of contract.
 
Oh well

So what the school expelled the gay guy for being gay...okay, its a private school and if they really didnt want a gay guy there so be it. Who cares if it isnt "right." If they believe in god and jesus SO much than let God er jesus handle that. They know where they going. Let them act a fool
 
This is a private school, and private schools govern themselves. It has nothing to do with the government. Don't forget the Constitutional right we have to assemble. If the school chooses not to allow gay people, so be it. It is their right.
 
Notes around

Jerrek
This is a private school, and private schools govern themselves. It has nothing to do with the government.
Click to expand...
Right, Jerrek. But what has that to do with this topic?
Don't forget the Constitutional right we have to assemble. If the school chooses not to allow gay people, so be it. It is their right.
Click to expand...
Right, Jerrek, but what has that to do with the topic?

Those are valid points you make, Jerrek, but they're more suited to a civil rights lawsuit than a breach of contract complaint.

In General

My catholic high school expelled kids for getting pregnant, including one who was not welcome at the school after she was raped.

You know, make whatever rules you want at a private school. In my day, though, I had to sign an agreement to not do drugs during a sports season in order to participate. I can't imagine that they'll be including, anytime soon, a declaration that the student is not homosexual; and they haven't expelled their gay students yet.

And that's why their expulsion of pregnant students seemed confusing. I was the only one in my class who wasn't surprised when a local doctor invited for a discussion of reproductive ethics glared across the room at my heckling teacher and stated flatly, "You know, I treat girls from this school. Some of them more than once."

Yeah, our Catholic girls were having abortions in order to not be expelled.

Um .... Compassion? Please?

Editorial message for the Jupiter Christian School

Do you really find it so sinful and horrible? What would Jesus do?
"Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25.41 - ff, RSV)
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by Mystech
As was already mentioned, in the student handbook they listed only three very distinct offences which would be grounds for expulsion. None of them was "faggotry".
Click to expand...
You're probably right, but I wouldn't be surprised if the school handbook also included a line about students being required to 'live according to Christian principles' or something similar. In that case the school could make the argument that the student was unapologetically violating the student handbook.

It’s getting more and more common for schools to get slapped with lawsuits for violating their own handbooks, especially at universities. It's common for university administrators to put a lot of high-sounding rhetoric about freedom of expression and due process in student handbooks without realizing that the handbook constitutes a contract that the university is required to follow when disciplining the student. They sometimes get a rude surprise when they try to punish a litigious student for saying something politically incorrect.
 
Do we have all the facts? I suspect he was being too gay and disrupting studies.
Its like that jewish guy who would break orthodox jew laws and judicial laws through a whole in a bedsheet. He claimed that with "god's hole in the sheet he could do whatever he wanted", he would smoke through his hole in the sheet and eat pork through his hole in the sheet, celebrate christmas through his hole in the sheet etc, no big deal,
But then one day he was arrested for fucking a parked car through his hole in the sheet in public.
He didn't go down easily and accused the police of being anti-semetic.

I suspect this gay student was like this guy, maybe saying "gays have rights as well you know" while freebasing and sticking dildo's to his chairs with suction cups etc.
So yeah, no need to feel bad for this guy, he was a nut.
End of story, lets talk about something else.
 
Originally posted by Mystech
Is this just flagrant bigotry and discrimination?
Click to expand...
Without all the facts, I can't say for sure, but I would be willing to bet it was.

Originally posted by Mystech
Did the school, in it’s rush to judge break it’s on policies
Click to expand...
Written policies? Possibly.
Unwritten policies? Doubtful.

Originally posted by Mystech
or is it simply their right to expel students at their own whim as the mood strikes them, regardless of the policy they’ve set in place.
Click to expand...
Sure it is.
As long as they clearly state the reason in his school records, and refund his tuition per diem.

Originally posted by Mystech
Further more, getting to the real issue here, is it even ethical to ban a student simply because he is gay?
Click to expand...
No. I don't think so.
But I don't think that is the real issue.
I think the real issue is whether or not it should be legal, and I think it should.

Originally posted by Mystech
Can one be a homosexual and a good Christian?
Click to expand...
I guess that depends on who you ask, and what flavor of Christianity you prefer.
I personally don't think you can be a "practicing" homosexual and a "practicing" Christian at the same time without either being a hypocrite or compromising your true self.
I happen to be neither, but I would rather be a homosexual than a Christian.

I never really understood these lawsuits.
I wouldn't want to be a member of an organization, school, club, whatever that discriminates against who I am.
I wouldn't fight to be allowed to be somwehere that, not only am I not wanted, but is full of a bunch of hate filled closed-minded bigoted assholes.
But that's just me, I guess.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top