Student Refusing to Work with Gay Clients Loses Appeal Case
Graduate student, Julea Ward, refused to work with a gay client during her training in the master’s counseling program at Eastern Michigan University. A federal judge ruled against her appeal stating that her freedom of expression and religion were not violated. Ward was dismissed from the program in March 2009.
As reported in The Advocate:
A federal judge ruled against a former Eastern Michigan University graduate student who refused to help a gay client as part of her master’s program in counseling.
Julea Ward lost an appeal she sought against a ruling which found in favor of EMU’s dismissal of her in March of 2009, according to The Washington Post.
Ward was required to give counsel to gay individuals as part of her educational training, but refused because she believes gay lifestyles are immoral. She referred a gay client to another counselor, and was soon disciplined by her university.
Judge George Caram Steeh ruled Ward’s freedom of expression and religion were not violated because she was not ordered to change her opinions by helping a gay patient, simply to set her beliefs aside for the sake of an educational exercise.
