Should schools that discriminate against BGLT students receive state funding?

[Green Gaia]

Student expelled from University of Cumberlands for being gay

When Jason Johnson enrolled at the University of the Cumberlands in 2004, he says he didn't worry about being kicked out for being gay.


After all, the school's code of conduct only barred "lewd and indecent conduct."


But Johnson, now a sophomore, said yesterday he has been expelled from the Baptist-affiliated college under a new sexual conduct policy that forbids engaging in or promoting homosexuality.


Administrators confronted him last week about his page on MySpace.com, on which he discussed his sexual orientation and boyfriend, he said.

Ok, let's assume that is the school's right to do so...

But then the Kentucky State Senate President David Williams visited and presented a symbolic $10 million check today to the University of the Cumberlands.

Should a state being funding discrimination of BGLT students?

 

[standing_alone]

I don't think the state should be funding private institutions to begin with - and certainly not religious-based ones.

 

[CaptainXeroid]

I don't think the state should be funding private institutions to begin with...

I concur 100%. A private school should be able to have what ever rules it wants, but a university that accepts public funding should not be allowed to discriminate against students on basis unrelated to academics or illegal activity.

 

[Ori]

It seems rather childish to ban someone merely for their sexual orientation, religious school or not.

 

[standing_alone]

It seems rather childish to ban someone merely for their sexual orientation, religious school or not.

I agree, however, one must keep in mind that many religious schools are affiliated with the Christian faith and look down on homosexuality.

 

[Jaymes]

If it's a private school, it shouldn't be recieving state funding in the first place. If it's a public school, it should be threatened with yanked funding if it discriminates.

 

[Ori]

I agree, however, one must keep in mind that many religious schools are affiliated with the Christian faith and look down on homosexuality.

It is ignorant for a Christian to look down upon homosexuality, especially in light of this passage " Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him".

Hopefully I don't have to go into detail here.

 

[Quiddity]

If it's a private school, it shouldn't be recieving state funding in the first place. If it's a public school, it should be threatened with yanked funding if it discriminates.

I agree. No funding but even if we disagree should we stop a private religious institution from selecting who they want in and who they don't? I think it's wrong that they don't allow a gay person but I'm not sure I'd want to take that away from them.

 

[Mike182]

i voted "i don't know" because, frankly, i don't know enough about the situation.

i would ask this though, should students be descriminated against (ie, refused funding)because the institution they are under descriminates?

 

[Sunstone]

Government funding always comes with strings. If the strings aren't attached at first, they soon enough will be. Religious activists who lobby for government funding are letting their interest in tax dollars override their interest in keeping their schools independent of government meddling.

 

[Quiddity]

Government funding always comes with strings. If the strings aren't attached at first, they soon enough will be. Religious activists who lobby for government funding are letting their interest in tax dollars override their interest in keeping their schools independent of government meddling.

That's true. If the governement does any meddling (financially) in any private institution then I think the word "private" becomes fuzzy.

 

[dawny0826]

I don't think the state should be funding private institutions to begin with - and certainly not religious-based ones.

I concur.

 

[Jaymes]

I agree. No funding but even if we disagree should we stop a private religious institution from selecting who they want in and who they don't? I think it's wrong that they don't allow a gay person but I'm not sure I'd want to take that away from them.

I don't think it's really an issue if they don't recieve government funding. If they want to ban people who like watermelon, they can have a ball with it, they just shouldn't expect government money.

 

[Matt88]

well, if it is a christian based, or at least christian-affiliated school, he should have seen this coming. I think a better question would be "should schools that discriminate recieve state funding" the answer is no.

 

[Quiddity]

I don't think it's really an issue if they don't recieve government funding. If they want to ban people who like watermelon, they can have a ball with it, they just shouldn't expect government money.

That is exactly what I was implying in post#11.

 

[jonny]

How far do we want to push this? Should students attending these schools automatically be disqualified from subsidized loans and federal grants? If that's the case, get rid of student aid all together because it will be a discriminatory program. "YOU can't receive federal aid because of your religious beliefs," is the message that it'll send.

 

[kevmicsmi]

Government funding always comes with strings. If the strings aren't attached at first, they soon enough will be. Religious activists who lobby for government funding are letting their interest in tax dollars override their interest in keeping their schools independent of government meddling.

Good point.I believe The supreme court actually just ruled on this in the context of cut funding for barring military recruiters on campus. Same issue to me. If you want the money you gotta do the dance.

 

[Buttercup]

I agree with others that private state universities shouldn't receive government subsidies. In a perfect world private schools would be privately funded leaving more money available for the public school system.

But, if private schools expell a student for being gay...they should lose that funding. That is pure and simple discrimination. I can see having policies regarding lewd behavior that all students need to follow, but barring a person from a Christian school because they are gay is a non Christian act.

 

[Mathematician]

Wait, it's legal for religious schools to recieve government money? :tsk: