Force-Feeding A-Morality
Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, October 4, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler
Good morning, Jim. In June, a Tennessee community college psychology professor threatened to discipline students who refused to wear rainbow coalition ribbons on campus and off-campus to show support for homosexual behavior. Then, they were required to write a reaction paper about discrimination, supposedly, caused by the ribbons.
Several students asked Alliance Defending Freedom to defend their right to disagree and opt-out after their professor indicated that opposition to the homosexual agenda is the thinking of ignorant “uneducated bigots” who “attack homosexuals with hate.”
Alliance Attorney David Hacker said, “It’s a very clear case of a government official, a state college professor, compelling students to speak in a way they disagree with. Once the professor required the students to advocate … outside the classroom, that’s compelled speech … clearly unconstitutional.” The college agreed to investigate, but Mr. Hacker is concerned that colleges nationwide are actively promoting the pro-homosexual movement.Years ago, Alliance attorneys represented a Missouri State University student whose assignment was to write a joint letter to the Missouri Legislature asking members to support same-sex adoption and foster care. The professor turned the tables on the student and filed the worst ethics case possible against a student, then required her to sign an agreement that she would never allow personal beliefs to get in the way of such assignments. That was a clear violation of the student’s religious liberty, rights of conscience and freedom of speech.
On September 20th, just over a month after Governor Jerry Brown signed a law requiring public schools to allow transgender students to choose which restrooms to use and whether to join the girls’ or boys’ sports teams, Marina High School in California crowned a 16-year-old homecoming queen, who was born male but identifies as female. Los Angeles and San Francisco school districts already allow students to make those decisions.
In July, Southern California’s Arcadia School District settled a transgender discrimination lawsuit for a middle school student born female but identifying as male. The student had been barred from using male restrooms and locker rooms.
These are examples of legislation to come in Georgia. Three gender-identity bills introduced in 2013 remain alive for the 2014 session and another gender bill was pre-filed but not officially introduced 2013. However, it has a number and could be officially introduced in the upcoming 2014 session. Any or all of these bills could be used to make the same changes in Georgia. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.