MICHIGAN: House Passes Bill Legalizing Anti-Gay Actions By Student Counselors

[WillParkinson]

MICHIGAN: House Passes Bill Legalizing Anti-Gay Actions By Student Counselors

The GOP-dominated Michigan House has approved a bill making it legal for student counselors and therapists to refuse LGBT clients based on religious objections. The bill is named for Julea Ward, the Michigan student who was refused graduation when she rejected a gay client because her Christian beliefs did not allow her to treat "immoral persons." The bill reads:

A public degree or certificate granting college, university, junior college, or community college of this state shall not discipline or discriminate against a student in a counseling, social work, or psychology program because the student refuses to counsel or serve a client as to goals, outcomes, or behaviors that conflict with a sincerely held religious belief of the student, if the student refers the client to a counselor who will provide the counseling or services.

RELATED: In January of this year Ward won the right to sue her former school. She is being represented by the Alliance Defense Fund and the case is still pending.

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2012/06/michigan-house-passes-bill-legalizing.html

[William769]

1. Years ago Michigan use to be a nice place. Not so much now.

I have two very bigoted, homophobic sisters living in that State. They must be proud of themselves.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

9. This Kind of Bullshit...

is why I left Michigan almost 30 years ago and returned only for a few short visits to my aged mother and then for her funeral. The religious freaks and Reich wingers have made a hellhole of it.

[madashelltoo]

2. Her Christian beliefs did not allow her to treat "immoral persons."

Well, who the fuck were her clients?

[SoutherDem]

3. I have never been to Michigan

But with all due respect, Has Michigan Gone Fucking Crazy?

[MichiganVote]

8. Yes. We focus on batshit crazy shit here now. Won't last. Fuckers will b voted out.

[bluestateguy]

4. I don't get it

I fail to see where someone deserves special respect just because they have "deeply held" religious convictions. Like we are all supposed to shut up and swoon over their strong values and moral code.

Would this mean that a Muslim counselor with fundamentalist wacko views could refuse to counsel a Jewish student?

[madashelltoo]

5. In theory only.

I don't think any Muslims should take that position. It would not be pretty.

[citysyde]

6. All of these state and federal court battles are much better than a

Civil War, or the war of 1812, I guess.

But it sure screws a few gay people and lot of women and minorities along the way.

[MichiganVote]

7. Discriminatory and against professional ethics. I know many Mi. counselors. They'll ignore this.

And so will I.

Now about that vagina thing........