ACLU accuses instructor of using classroom as church

[WillParkinson]

ACLU accuses instructor of using classroom as church

(San Francisco) An instructor at a public community college in Fresno has been presenting his religious views on homosexuality, abortion and global warming as fact to students in an introductory health science class, the American Civil Liberties Union alleged Monday.

ACLU staff attorney Elizabeth Gill said at least two students at Fresno City College have complained that instructor Bradley Lopez quoted the Bible as proof that human life begins at conception, characterized homosexuality as a mental illness, and discussed apocalyptic Christian prophesies during a lesson on climate change.

If the students’ descriptions are correct, Lopez’s teaching methods would violate California laws protecting gays from discrimination and prohibiting religious indoctrination at public schools, Gill said. She sent a letter to college president Cynthia Azaria on Monday asking the school “to act immediately to ensure that all its health classes provide only accurate and unbiased information.”

An e-mail to Lopez and a telephone message left at his office were not returned. The college president issued a statement in response to media inquiries.

“The College takes its non-discrimination and prohibition of harassment policies seriously, investigates alleged violations and takes appropriate actions to enforce compliance,” Azaria said. “Beyond that, we don’t comment on personnel matters for confidentiality reasons.”

http://www.365gay.com/news/aclu-accuses-instructor-of-using-classroom-as-church/

[kenfrequed]

1. Hmm

Ok, this is difficult. But this isn't grade school or high school. It's college. I don't like the idea of ideas being censored in a college environment. However he should probably be let go for being a moron since the American Psychiatric Association has clearly stated that homosexuality is not a mental illness.

Also his students should probably be asking him "why should we bother with health if the apocolypse is nigh"

[BR_Parkway]

3. But this is health science class - not Religion 101

They can throw that stuff out there all they want in a class devoted to religion - but science? Seems less about censorship than protecting one's accreditation

[kenfrequed]

13. precisely

It should come up if there is any academic review that occurs.

[katandmoon]

4. Not difficult at all. He is not teaching the science class that students paid for.

[glinda]

10. but he is teaching what the Republicans want him to

[Smashcut]

11. It's a public college.

Establishment Clause and all that, plus other state laws against discrimination apply.

[peace frog]

2. My first question would be

Is this introductory health science course mandatory for graduation? If it is a required course then I agree with the ACLU's complaint: factual and unbiased information ONLY should be provided. If students choose to take a non-required course that covers all "theories" factual and non-factual, then they can take such a course as an elective.

[joeybee12]

5. No, because they might want to take such a class and maybe he's

the only one teaching it or the only one they can get into. In any case, if you're paying for an education, you get facts, not prostelytizing. This isn't a philosophy or religion class where ideas , even whacko ones like his, are bantered back and forth.

[peace frog]

7. You don't live in Florida, do you

Just for shits and giggles when you have a free moment, take a look at the courses offered at public colleges and universities in this state (available for viewing online). There are any number of fundie-theory courses available, and plenty of students take them. The colleges relieve themselves of liability by not making them required for graduation in a degree program, and I would hazard a guess there are many more states that skirt the law in this manner.

[joeybee12]

8. Nope, don't live there...but it does seem like in the California case

since the students complained, it was not marketed as a fundie-friendly course.

[peace frog]

9. Repubs have done their work "well" in this state

As a result, plenty of fundie misinformation is available to those who "choose" to register for it on a college level.

[joeybee12]

12. Probably wouldn't hold up in a court of law, but the ACLU can only

do so much, and the fundies would probably harrass to no end anyone who challenged this misue of taxpayers' money.

[xchrom]

6. Recommend