California bill would prevent LGBT discrimination at religious schools

[DonViejo]

By DARCY COSTELLO, Associated Press · Saturday, July 30, 2016

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The conflict between religious freedom and gay rights has a new battleground — California‘s religious colleges and universities.

A bill moving through the Legislature would remove a longstanding exemption from anti-discrimination laws for religious institutions, potentially exposing the schools to civil rights lawsuits from students and employees.

Some schools call the measure, SB1146, an attack on their free exercise of religion and say the exemption allows them to craft campus policies in line with their faith.

Currently, religious institutions can assign housing based on sex, not gender identity, and discipline students for violating moral codes of conduct, which can include anti-transgender or strict sexuality provisions.

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http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/07/california-bill-prevent-lgbt-discrimination-religious-schools/

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. California continues to lead the way.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. I think this is a bad idea.

Churches and other religious institutions spent a lot of time fearmongering about gay rights and how they would be forced to accept us into their institutions. They were assured over and over again that that wouldn't happen. This legislation would make liars out of gay rights proponents, and I think it violates freedom of religion besides.

I went to a religious college, and all of us who were gay had to more or less stay in the closet while we were there. Sure, there were people who knew we were gay, but we would have been expelled if we confronted the administration about our sexuality. I know how it feels to go through that, and it's very stressful. But the bottom line is that I wasn't forced to attend there, and I knew the rules going in.

I think if the government were to force these bigoted institutions to follow the same rules as public schools, there would be a seriously ugly backlash. A lot of parents send their kids to these schools because they don't want their kids exposed to the real world. It's very sad, but true. I think it's best to leave things as they are for now.

[geomon666]

3. I think this is a bad idea too.

We start legislating against religious institutions, where does it stop?

[LuvNewcastle]

4. We don't like it when religious figures

get overly involved in government. Well, the separation of church and state cuts both ways. Government should also stay out of religious affairs.