A soon to be opened Christian law school in British Columbia will not be accredited because of its position on homosexuality.
From JMG (and Global News):
The Law Society of British Columbia has voted against accrediting a proposed law school at Trinity Western University. In a binding decision, 74 per cent of lawyers voted against TWU’s program, with 8,039 ballots cast in total – more than 60 per cent of all lawyers eligible to vote. The society says the decision means that “the proposed law school at Trinity Western University is not an approved faculty of law for the purpose of the Law Society’s admission program.” Trinity Western University is a private institution in Langley with around 3,600 students. The school requires all students to abide by a covenant that forbids intimacy outside heterosexual marriage, which some argue discriminate against those in the LGBT community. They plan to open the law school in 2016. The Law Society’s council originally approved the school, but was asked to reconsider by members. Last month, they formally approved a referendum.
“Respect for equality is a foundation principle of the rule of law and should be a foundation principle of the legal profession,” said Victoria lawyer Michael Mulligan, who has led the campaign against the school.
“I am delighted that the profession agrees so wholeheartedly with that principle, and that the Benchers will move forward on that basis.”
From
cbc:
The president of Trinity Western University says he is uncertain if the new law school will open as scheduled in 2016 following the recent vote by the B.C. Law Society members to reject the faith-based institution.
TWU president Bob Kuhn expressed his frustration with the recent vote as he left a ratification meeting at the law society on Friday morning.
"They had to choose between the principles upon which they made the initial decision and the popularity of that decision among lawyers in the province," says Kuhn.
"We're disappointed of course they chose the latter. But that's the reality of people in an elected position."
British Columbia is now the third province, after Ontario and Nova Scotia, to officially reject the university's law school.
Trinity Western is legally challenging those decisions in court, arguing they have a right to religious freedom.
Can you imagine what would happen in the US if a Christian law school (say Liberty University) was denied accreditation? The screams of the religious right would be deafening.