Court Grants Christian Student the Right to Dispute His Removal From University for His Anti-Gay Remarks
A Christian student has been granted the legal right to dispute his expulsion from a university in England after he expressed his views on same-sex marriage.
Felix Ngole was expelled from his two-year postgraduate course on social work from the University of Sheffield after he expressed his opposition to same-sex union in a Facebook discussion.
The 39-year-old appealed the university's decision, but it was denied. This prompted Ngole to seek permission from the High Court to look into his case, which was granted on Tuesday, according to Christian Concern.
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While the counsel for the university, Sarah Hannett, admitted that the postgraduate student did not commit any discriminatory acts against anyone, his opinion, which was made in a public platform, made him unsuitable to become as a social worker.
Hannett clarified that the reason Ngole was removed from the course had nothing to do with his beliefs or his views on same-sex marriages but rather on his "manner" of conveying them via the social media platform.
But Christian Legal Centre's Paul Diamond, who represented Ngole, did not agree, saying that the stance taken by Sheffield University is similar to saying, "We don't like those views."
"The duty of the courts is to control those bodies [universities], to ensure that freedom continues, and that due process of law is followed," said Diamond. "Free speech In this country is getting narrower and narrower."
Ngole, who is also a religious education teacher, expressed his support to Kentucky county clerk, Kim Davis, who was sent to prison for her refusal to grant marriage permits to those of the same sex.
He posted his thoughts on the matter via his private Facebook page.
The university eventually removed him from the course, saying that his actions had "transgressed boundaries which are not deemed appropriate for someone entering the social work profession," reported The Independent.
University officials who met with him regarding his expulsion also noted that his post "may have caused offense to some individuals."
Ngole called the expulsion unfair.
"I don't see how you can end somebody's professional career based on something that is untested and unproved," he told The Telegraph.
"You can't lose a job because somebody says you are more likely to offend people. That's unfair," he added.
