Court lets private schools expel lesbians

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer

The state Supreme Court left intact Wednesday a lower-court ruling that said a private religious high school wasn't covered by California civil rights law and could expel students it believed were lesbians.

Over Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar's dissent, the court denied review of an appeal by parents of two girls who were expelled from a high school in Riverside County. A lawyer for the parents said the ruling, which is binding on trial courts statewide, would allow private schools to discriminate against students on any basis they chose, including sex and religion.

The girls were juniors at California Lutheran High School in the town of Wildomar when the principal, Gregory Bork, called them to his office in September 2005 and questioned them separately about their sexual orientation, after another student reported postings on their MySpace pages.

Bork suspended the girls based on their answers, and the school's directors expelled them a month later. The girls, who later graduated from another high school, have not been identified and have not discussed their sexual orientation, said their parents' attorney, Kirk Hanson.

The parents sued under the Unruh Act, a 1959 state law that forbids discrimination by businesses. It was amended in 2005 to include bias based on sexual orientation and someone else's perception of sexual orientation. State education law also prohibits anti-gay bias, but that applies only to public schools.

In January, the Fourth District Court of Appeal in San Bernardino said the school is not a business but instead a social organization entitled to follow its principles.

Although California courts have defined such organizations as a Boys Club and the Rotary Club as businesses covered by the Unruh Act, the appeals court cited a 1998 state Supreme Court ruling that allowed the Boy Scouts to exclude gays and atheists. Like the Boy Scouts, the appellate panel said, a private religious school exists mainly to instill its values in young people.

Hanson disputed that comparison in his unsuccessful request for state Supreme Court review. Unlike the Boy Scouts, he said, a private school provides education that is required by state law and has a business connection, because it "promotes the economic interests of the students."

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The case is Doe vs. Lutheran High, S171078.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../BA5817BGU2.DTL

[Ban Hammer 13,364]

well dayum, no lesbians dancing at the high school prom.

[Peikko 1,575]

Ah, a perplexing question indeed. Lots of money for the lawyers in this kind of thing. Personally, I don't care - they can educate these gals to whatever religiously biased views they want.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The Bible types believe people choose to be gay, right?

So if these girls attend a Bible-type school and turn into one of the gheys, then doesn't that mean their brainwashing (ok, I know they call it education but I'm just keepin' it real here) failed?

Instead of expelling their kids, perhaps an investigation into why their brainwashing failed is in order.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Works for me, since I just opened a private religious school, for lesbians only.

We are now accepting applications for faculty...

[Ban Hammer 13,364]

Works for me, since I just opened a private religious school, for lesbians only.

We are now accepting applications for faculty...

almaty for counselor.

[Peikko 1,575]

Is lesbianism a religion now? Is this a gals only school?

[Ban Hammer 13,364]

Is lesbianism a religion now? Is this a gals only school?

getting your teaching resume in order already?

[Peikko 1,575]

Sure, why not? I mean, lesbians are known for the exhibitionism and putting sex before everything else.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The Bible types believe people choose to be gay, right?

So if these girls attend a Bible-type school and turn into one of the gheys, then doesn't that mean their brainwashing (ok, I know they call it education but I'm just keepin' it real here) failed?

Instead of expelling their kids, perhaps an investigation into why their brainwashing failed is in order.

Yeah really.... Also isn't it questionable that they'd rather wash their hands of the "deviant" students rather than try to address their (from the school's perspective) problems?

[Nagishkaw 510]

Don't be silly. Maybe they can just give them a magic pill and it will all go away.

[Peikko 1,575]

A.J's Dr will not prescribe him the magic pill, that's why he wants to steal the pad

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I am one of the fiercest advocates for gay rights, y'all know that. Also very involved in education.

Yet, if these chops are a private school; I don't see how I can b1tch about it much.

[Nagishkaw 510]

A.J's Dr will not prescribe him the magic pill, that's why he wants to steal the pad

You know, I was thinking of that too!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I am one of the fiercest advocates for gay rights, y'all know that. Also very involved in education.

Yet, if these chops are a private school; I don't see how I can b1tch about it much.

I agree.