One of my pots of succulents.
Ok big topic in the news today, you can read the whole story here:
http://chronicle.com/article/Augusta-State-U-Is-Accused-of/123650/
In short, this woman has gone to college, done the work required to get her degree and no doubt paid a handsome amount of money to this institution to get her degree. The college has told her that because of her religious beliefs on the issue of homosexuality, that she must take and pass a class in sensitivity towards homosexuals or she will not be given her degree. Other students getting this degree do not have to take this class.
I should also mention that her career choice is to be a counselor. The college asserts that you can not be a good therapist if you can not embrace diversity.
The student says that this is her belief according to her faith and she will not change it to meet their demand.
Its a tricky issue! Her lawyer is presenting it as a right to free speech issue. This situation came up when the student made statements in class about her faith on the matter of homosexuality during open discussion.
I'm not sure that it is a free speech issue.
I feel its more of a right to religious freedom.
Both are certainly basic constitutional rights.
I do see the college's point.
However, I see no reason why she cannot obtain work where she can be a Christian therapist and help people with like thinking. After all, not everyone is gay or believes that homosexuality is the way to go.
It is also worth mentioning that her lawyer said on TV this morning that she did take the standard class on diversity and passed that already. But she is unwilling to give up her religious belief to satisfy the demands of the college.
Likewise, on the same TV show, it came out that the hope of the college is exactly that...
It is their hope that by taking the class that she will change her mind on the morality of homosexuality.
Hummmm...
I am unsure where I stand on this one. I'm a fairly relaxed and open being who generally accepts anyone and anything provided it does not cause harm to another person, animal, property or thing.
You do your thing, I'll do mine and we can all sit in the same rowboat.
Therefore, it surprises me that I am on the side of the student here. She has the right to follow her faith.
And diversity includes accepting that there are those who have beliefs that are different from mine or yours.
They should either give her the degree or give back the money she's paid for it.
What say you?
Now for life in general.
The good news is that I am still happy with Randy.
Things are going great with one exception...
The bad news is that after 15 years of loyal employment, including awards for always showing up and excellence, he no longer has a job.
YIKES!
Now we are both looking like crazy monkeys for work.
Do me a favor... expand those prayers and good luck wishes to include Randy as well.
"Just when things are going great,
bad news comes knocking at your garden gate."
I'm so sorry to hear about Randy. I am sending good thoughts to the both of you.
ReplyDeletelaura b.-- Thanks. This darned economy! But I do have faith that something will come up. I only hope that it is soon.
ReplyDeleteIf she earned her degree, she should get her degree. Getting a refund of her money will not buy back the the time she invested in attending classes.
ReplyDeleteThis case is quite complex and it kind of reminds me of the pharmacists who refuse to dispense the day after birth control pills because they're against abortion.
It also reminds me of the moslem cashiers who refuse to ring up pork products.
Truth is, you have a right to your beliefs, but you don't have a right to have everyone else in the world held hostage to your beliefs.
If you can't do the job that's expected of you, then you should go work somewhere else.
That said, this case is a very complicated one and I feel for this woman, but how in the world do we all get along with all these diverse opinions pulling in different ways? Seems to me that you sometimes have to hold your tongue and do your job. Barring that, go somewhere else.
Darn it. I always hit the post button too soon. I meant to add how sorry I was to hear about Randy. This economy has hit us hard and it makes me sick to hear of yet another hard working person being let go because of it.
ReplyDeleteCube-- Thanks. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think everything you said is absolutely correct. And I do not know the conversation that was had that caused this situation. There are those who go overboard with their beliefs. Perhaps she was too excessive or offensive about it.
She should certainly go to work at a place that shares her views and not expect to work in a place where the views oppose hers.
I would also hope that if she does become a therapist, that she would excuse herself from working with clients who also do not believe as she does.
It is an interesting case.
Oh, I'm so sorry about Randy's job loss - hope you BOTH find something very soon.
ReplyDeleteThat link is to a long about.com page, so I couldn't find the actual story. But it's a complicated issue. The American Psychological Association's official stance is that homosexuality is not a psychological disorder and therapy designed to make a gay person straight is unethical. And there's plenty of research to back this up. So I have little patience for someone who would go into mental health with such a backward view that is flat not supported by science. BUT if the program had concerns about her ability to be a decent therapist, they should have done something about that long before she got so close to the end of the program. Still, if her advisors feel she needs sensitivity training before they are willing to let her leave with their credentials, I can't say that isn't justified. And if this is the way she feels, she should have gotten herself certified as a pastoral counselor or some such instead.
secret agent woman-- Thanks. I hope we do too.
ReplyDeleteI think she felt she could work with a homosexual. but she also felt that it was morally wrong.
I did not know that there were Pastoral counselors. Good to know.
It makes a difference. I assumed that they were therapists who happened to be a certain faith.
There is much in this world that I do not know.
It's just nonsense that they try and force her to change her beliefs. Stoopid. And lordy, I hope you both get jobs... tough times. I know.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about Randy. Good luck to the both of you...
ReplyDeleteAs for the lady, I don't know. The college makes a good point in that in order to be a good counselor, you need to be tolerant of diversity. The college isn't asking for her to abandon her belief, just take a course on tolerance.
Sounds like she's a little afraid of being brainwashed to the homosexual propaganda. *rolls eyes*. Or maybe she wanted to be in a position of "power" to try to convert homosexuals.
(Good luck with that.)
Who knows? There's not enough data for me to extrapolate her intentions.
Oh man, that is tough. I don't know what I would say in that situation. I see both sides. But as a therapist sometimes you have to put your beliefs aside and look to what is best for the patient.
ReplyDeleteNoRegrets-- We are both applying like crazy. Something will come up.
ReplyDeleteRandi-- Yep. Personally, I think its all silly. If she passed the classes, she earned the degree and they should honor it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think their ethics are in opposition. It will be interesting to see what the court says about it.
Yeah, Randy is okay. In a way, it'll be a test for "us" under stress. But I think we will make it.
Jill- That is true. I would hope she would seek a place to work that would not be opposed to her beliefs.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Christian Family work.
The only thing scary about that is that there are people who try to un-homosexualize people and that is never, in my humble opinion, going to work.
Hm. Interesting story. Still, I think I would have to say this: did she complete the course requirements for the degree? Then she should get it. That's why course requirements exist. Either everyone takes the class or it isn't required. Right?
ReplyDeleteAt my college, everyone was required to take a course in public speaking, f'rinstance. If the college thinks diversity is so important, then it should make a similar requirement, or even make it a requirement for certain degrees, but it shouldn't require it only of some people.
Sorry to hear about Randy. That sucks. Of course, I will remember you both. Wishing you both a better situation than what you had before. Sometimes these things work out like that.
Cricket-- As I understand it she did complete the required course on diversity and passed.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Much, much appreciated. I hope you are right. Its what my mom used to say... everything happens for the best, we just don't see it right away.