Family Research Council Praises the Decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Ward v. Polite

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Jan 27, 2012, 05:17 ET

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Family Research Council (FRC) praised the opinion issued today by Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Ward v. Polite. The Court reversed a district court's decision in favor of Eastern Michigan University against student Julea Ward, as a result of which Ward was expelled from a graduate-level counseling degree program during the winter 2009 quarter. This occurred because Ward wished to refer a homosexual client to another counseling student on grounds of her religious faith.

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Judge Sutton wrote in Ward v. Polite that the school's lack of a no-referral policy for the class Ward was enrolled in, and the presence of an ethics code that permits values-based referrals, both show that "a reasonable jury could conclude that Ward's professors ejected her from the counseling program because of hostility toward her speech and faith, not due to a policy against referrals."

Of the decision Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said:

"Americans should be thankful for Julea Ward's victory in her effort to practice her Christian faith while studying to become a professional counselor. While this case is not over, Judge Sutton's opinion makes the strong argument that professional counselors who practice their faith cannot be denied the ability to refer patients for values-based reasons when a person could refer a patient to another counselor for secular reasons. The decision marks an important step in defending the religious and intellectual freedoms of Americans."

The court of appeals reversed and remanded the case back to the district court for further action consistent with its decision.

SOURCE Family Research Council