Eastern Michigan University - The National Association of Scholars (NAS) has lodged a friend-of-court in the case v. Ward Wilbanks, a case before the Federal Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit.

Julea Ward was a student who was expelled from the “University Eastern Michigan”programme counseling after expressing his religious beliefs on homoS-EX-uality in some of his teachers.

Assigned by the university to advocate a homoS-EX-ual client, Ward was asked to say homoS-EX-uality is morally acceptable. Ward declined to make the assertion and offered instead to refer the client to another counselor, an action consistent with the policies established counseling program for situations in which the adviser has personal objections to working with a client.

Program officials told Ward that his beliefs contradict the views of the consulting department regarding homoS-EX-ual behavior and then were assigned to sanitation in an attempt to change the views of Ward. When his beliefs remained unchanged, the Eastern Michigan University”son excluded from the program.

“The National Association of Scholars is concerned about the erosion of freedom of conscience in American higher education,” said Peter Wood, chairman of the NAS. “Case Julea Ward is yet another example in which agents university in the helping professions in implementing a political program by calling it a university. But there was no legitimate educational force Julea Ward to disavow their religious beliefs or to comply with beliefs preferred by the teachers counseling program. ”

The amicus brief, “In a society where people-two counselors and clients hold very different views of moral and religious, it is perfectly logical that referrals would be a legitimate and useful for advisers who provide a potential conflict with client objectives. ”

The Alliance Defense Fund represents Julea Ward in a lawsuit against the “Eastern Michigan University.” NAS asks for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse the district court’s refusal movement Ward for Summary Judgement.

The National Association of researchers working to protect freedom of expression and conscience in higher education. To learn more about the NAS, visit www.nas.org.

Source: http://www.yorktownpatriot.com/article_765.shtml