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Student Expelled from Study for Expressing Views that May Offend


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This is a petition to the British Govt so you probably cannot enter it but I put it here as a news item.

The 38-year-old student and father of four, Felix Ngole, has recently been expelled from his course of study by the University of Sheffield because of a Facebook post he shared which expressed his disagreement with same-sex “marriage”.

Felix made the comments last September on his facebook page in relation to Kim Davis, the marriage clerk from Kentucky who refused to issue a marriage licence to a same-sex couple. He defended her freedom of conscience and in the course of discussion expressed his view on the Bible’s teaching on sexual ethics.

This is not about equality and not about same-sex marriage either. It is about our fundamental right to the free expression of our views without fear of censorship or discrimination from academic institutions or the state.

Sign this petition to the Minister for Universities and Science, Jo Johnson MP, asking him to see that the freedom of speech at university is upheld and asking him to use his influence to see the University of Sheffield's decision reversed.

http://www.citizengo.org/en/pc/33353-student-expelled-expressing-wrong-opinions

At a subsequent “Fitness to Practice Committee”, Felix was told that he had been “excluded from further study on a programme leading to a professional qualification" and is "no longer recognised as a University student." Their reasoning: he “may have caused offence to some individuals” and had “transgressed boundaries which are not deemed appropriate for someone entering the Social Work profession.” They went on to say that his action would have has an effect on his “ability to carry out a role as a Social Worker.”

Felix has in fact worked with people in same-sex relationships in the past and there have been no issues, something which the university has apparently entirely ignored.

In short then, Mr Ngole made a comment on his personal facebook page which expressed an opinion deemed inappropriate of someone preparing to enter into social work and his studies were terminated.

Sign this petition to the Minister for Universities and Science, asking him to use his authority and influence to end the censoring of students’ views.

http://www.citizengo.org/en/pc/33353-student-expelled-expressing-wrong-opinions

Apparently, being qualified to do your job or complete the course requirements is not enough – equally as important is that you think the “right” way and hold the “correct” opinions. Which, in this case, means that you support same-sex “marriage” and reject mainstream Christian belief.

Felix said he is “determined to challenge the decision because of its wider consequences and the huge issues of freedom of religion and freedom of expression that it raises.”

“My beliefs about marriage and sexual ethics reflect mainstream, biblical understanding, shared by millions around the world. Simply expressing that understanding, in a personal capacity, on my Facebook page, cannot be allowed to become a bar to serving and helping others in a professional capacity as a social worker.”

This kind of censoring of traditional views of marriage and the family cannot continue.

Yours sincerely,

Greg Jackson and the entire Team at CitizenGO

PS Freedom of speech has come under attack at university a lot recently with students who hold pro-life views and traditional understandings of marriage most frequently being silenced. But university is precisely the time when all these views should be debated, when we should have our most cherished beliefs scrutinised and laid bare. Only then can we know if they are worth having. This is not an equality issue, but an issue of basic freedoms – the freedom to pursue and express the truth as we see it. Sign this petition to end censorship at university.

 cvcc  

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Sadly this sort of thing is occurring in America as well. People are losing their jobs for posting politically incorrect views on Facebook or Twitter. Others are finding themselves otherwise punished for such, including students being expelled.

Never mind how good of students they may be, how highly skilled they may be at their job, or the fact they don't discuss the things they post online while on the job or at school.

This is the danger of democracy, those who can form a majority can use force to get the rest to abide by their whims.

It's interesting to note that every democracy of the past has imploded from within. It's also interesting to note God never put forth democracy in Scripture.

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I think I see where this one is headed... freedom of speech is something dear to all. No, and EMPLOYERS or SCHOOLS should not ban a person for their religious beliefs if they are contrary to their own. Did the school have a written requirement that no person could speak of their dislike for homosexual attitudes ON SCHOOL PROPERTY? That is a trend now days, but what a person does outside school property may be viewed and understood to be used as judgment, but not the main reason for the judgment. I understand the case for freedom of speech there.  But what about social groups and personal interest? Even more so for religious beliefs. For instance, If I belong to a "rapture" group I would not want someone who does not believe in the rapture to come there and disrupt the threads about the rapture. Most of them have now rules pertaining to this which also must be abided by  and agreed to before joining in on the conversation as well.  What? Is that loss of freedom of speech? No, because each group has the right to set the parameters in written form and has the right to ban someone for not abiding by those rules. 

I can tell you that facebook can be used as a good tool for prospective employer's if used properly. But I (myself) have used facebook to look up certain individuals (prospective home health aides) to see what type of person they may be from their facebook pages. I have seen some who have nothing but cuss words, worldly pursuits (one was even a stripper in the evening!) and all kinds of other things, whereas some individuals posted their political viewpoints (one can often garner clues from that as well), and some (very rarely in the home health industry) had posted Bible verses or church activities... (those were the ones I was hoping to find)!!! It's surprising how many things you can find out about a person's actual personality before you meet them just by looking at what they put on facebook. People should use better judgment when posting things there... Was I wrong to "judge" the prospective home health aides prior to them coming here? Did they lose freedom of speech by me doing so? I don't know.... if you don't want someone to know what you think, don't post it I guess. Did I ban any of them from coming into my own home purely because of facebook posts? Nope. I didn't ban them from coming into my home until after they arrived, and I heard in person them cussing (some can't make a sentence without doing so, and of the most vulgar words as well), in which case I promptly called the agency and told them don't send that person back. Did they lose their freedom of speech? No... because they had agreed (on written contract) NOT to cuss while in a client's home. Another one (the possible stripper) refused to fold/didn't know how to fold a wash cloth much less any other laundry and was appalled that I requested she do so, even though it's also written in the rules that she was required to be able to do so. There again breaking written rules and I had reason to call on her as well (that one had many more issues than folding towels/washcloths, lol). So YES... I got a "clue" about what they would be like before they got here, but NO, I didn't ban them from my home until they started breaking the rules which they had previously agreed to abide by. I can tell you right now I have a couple of home health aides who drink... I do NOT approve, but they do not drink here, nor are they drunk here, nor have they attempted to drink here. Otherwise they would be gone as well. 

Freedom of speech is valuable. A person has the right to speak his/her own mind... many should use better judgment about it I suspect. 

And many should also abide by the rules while on the "property" of the school, ,work, forum, social media platform. They CAN speak and believe whatever they want to outside of the school/forum/work/social media platform. And they should not be banned for what they do on their own time,  (unless it's a rule about something with which they have done while ON said school/work/social media platform "property")

Edited by Ronda
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P.S.Just wanted to add... no, I do not think it's "right" that this person was banned from a school for what he had on facebook (or anything he said while off of school property). And no, I don't think it's right for employers to "ban" prospective or even current employees for anything they say outside of work. I didn't make that clear. 

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Our preacher a couple of weeks ago said his brother who is a non believer studying to be a teacher said he thought homosexuality was wrong and he was told "You have got to promote it" The preacher was West Indian but I don't know if the brother was studying over there or over here.

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One wonders why these people unite with these wicked institutions?  Don't the scriptures teach not to yoke with unbelievers?

At the same time, Christians should elect Christians to public office and defund and or abolish these unconstitutional, statist and bigoted organizations.

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How are we to elect solid Christians to public office when few or none run for any office?

Unfortunately, even having a Christian elected sometimes doesn't mean what we hope. In a small town near hear a long-saved, long-time church member in a good church, very active in church for decades, was elected to a town council. They served pretty well under the weak Christian mayor but after he retired and a new, ungodly man was elected mayor, this Christian councilman has been his lapdog voting for things even when proven wrong and even a matter that was illegally handled.

I also remember the big deal made of Jimmy Carter relating being born again and that didn't go well for us; neither did electing Bush the Second who claims to be a Christian.

If we, as Christians across the land in our respective churches, communities and beyond, were consistently pursuing a closer walk with Christ, spending much time in the Word, in prayer, spreading the Gospel, building up young and new Christian men and women in the faith, we would open the door for a mighty move of God. Unfortunately, most American Christians are not interested in doing things God's way, preferring instead to do things man's way so they can feel like they are "really" doing something.

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6 hours ago, John81 said:

How are we to elect solid Christians to public office when few or none run for any office?

Run!  Get the men in your church to run!

Carter and Bush have no salvation testimonies.  G. W. recounted in his autobiography that Billy Graham told him some folks were just born christian while others had to work at it.  I pray for his salvation and have once or twice for Carter.

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4 hours ago, swathdiver said:

Run!  Get the men in your church to run!

Carter and Bush have no salvation testimonies.  G. W. recounted in his autobiography that Billy Graham told him some folks were just born christian while others had to work at it.  I pray for his salvation and have once or twice for Carter.

No point in running for office unless the Lord leads. Our town mayor who retired last year after 30 years is a deacon at our church. Currently two of the board members of our town council are members of our church. Another member of our church was a long-time council member too but he retired last year also.

I agree neither Carter nor Bush have a solid salvation testimony. It was also Billy Graham, after Bush's mom and wife spoke with him, who told Bush he shouldn't publicly say Jesus is the only way to heaven. It was also Bush who placed a Koran in the White House library, called Islam a religion of peace, declared Christians and Muslims worship the same God and that both lead to heaven.

Unless God were to lead a solid Christian man to run for president and make his path clear, no solid Christian man could even hope to survive the nomination process let alone win the nomination.

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On 3/8/2016 at 1:02 AM, swathdiver said:

One wonders why these people unite with these wicked institutions?  Don't the scriptures teach not to yoke with unbelievers?

At the same time, Christians should elect Christians to public office and defund and or abolish these unconstitutional, statist and bigoted organizations.

The trouble is that we have a national curriculum and all schools have to teach it.  It includes evolution homosexuality and many other things.   It is also extending to home education and they are trying to extend it to Sunday Schools and youth groups.  If you teach children you are to be inspected,

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28 minutes ago, Invicta said:

The trouble is that we have a national curriculum and all schools have to teach it.  It includes evolution homosexuality and many other things.   It is also extending to home education and they are trying to extend it to Sunday Schools and youth groups.  If you teach children you are to be inspected,

We have the same problems here. It's all about control and the government is steadily working towards total control.

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12 hours ago, Invicta said:

The trouble is that we have a national curriculum and all schools have to teach it.  It includes evolution homosexuality and many other things.   It is also extending to home education and they are trying to extend it to Sunday Schools and youth groups.  If you teach children you are to be inspected,

Then leave and seek liberty elsewhere.  The Lord will provide.

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