Virginia Attorney General Cuccinelli asks colleges 2 rescind policies protecting gay state employees

[FreeState]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/05/AR2010030501582.html

Disgusting.

RICHMOND -- Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II has asked the state's public colleges and universities to rescind policies that ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, arguing in a letter sent to each school Thursday that their boards of visitors have no legal authority to adopt such statements.

In the letter, Cuccinelli (R) wrote that only the General Assembly can extend legal protections to gay state employees -- a move the legislature has repeatedly declined to take, including as recently as this week.

"It is my advice that the law and public policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia prohibit a college or university from including 'sexual orientation,' 'gender identity,' 'gender expression,' or like classification as a protected class within its non-discrimination policy absent specific authorization from the General Assembly," he wrote.

Colleges that have included such language in their policies -- which include all of Virginia's leading schools -- have done so "without proper authority" and should "take appropriate actions to bring their policies in conformance with the law and public policy of Virginia," Cuccinelli wrote.

Cuccinelli's predecessor, Robert F. McDonnell (R), who became governor in January, had also held that only the General Assembly could name new classes for legal protections. But he never specifically targeted university policies that seemingly contradicted his position.

The opinion is likely to spark outrage with many students and faculty at Virginia schools.

"What he's saying is reprehensible," said Vincent F. Callahan Jr., a former Republican member of the House of Delegates who serves on the Board of Visitors of George Mason University. "I don't know what he's doing, opening up this can of worms."

[bullwinkle428]

1. The wing-nuts are thrilled to re-start their "War on Gays"!

:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Viking12]

2. Not only will it spark outrage among exisiting faculty and staff

It will create a major roadblock in recruiting talent in the future as well.

[blueworld]

3. I thought we had started to make such significant progress here in VA

but I was apparently very wrong. Ever since that ass-wipe McDonnell got elected the downhill racing has been at a furious pace. I even saw Virgil "bigot" Goode on the news last week playing coy about running for office again & the commercials & robocalls blasting Perriello are increasing.

Every time we take a breather the loonies ramp up. Time for another spring cleaning, apparently.

[defendandprotect]

4. Overturning democracy and "all are created equal" is nothing for fanatics ...!!

[LiberalFighter]

5. What does his wife do for a living?

What organizations is she a member?

[FreeState]

6. Alice Monteiro 'Teiro' Cuccinelli

http://www.cuccinelli.com/bio_family.htm

Ken’s wife, Teiro, was almost the girl next door. Actually, she lived three doors down from his family’s Northern Virginia home. Ken and Teiro married in 1991, after Ken graduated from the Engineering School at The University of Virginia and Teiro graduated from James Madison University. After over 17 years of marriage, they have been blessed with five daughters and two sons.

Ken and Teiro are active members of St. Andrew's Catholic Church, where Ken is a member of the Knights of Columbus.

(Knights of Columbus is a very anti-gay org that worked to pass prop 8 in CA)

I found this, she worked for the government on a small contract - not a lot, less than a grand paid out (fund raising?): http://www.vpap.org/vendors/profile/index/69425

and according to this article she homeschools 4 of her 7 children: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/18/AR2009101802401.html