Kempling suspension for criticizing homosexual views upheld.

Vancouver, B.C. -- The BC Supreme Court ruled on February 3, 2004, to uphold the right of the BC College of Teachers to suspend Christian high school teacher and student counsellor Chris Kempling for one month, without pay. Kempling wrote letters, critical of homosexuality, to the editor in the local newspaper during the summer holidays of 2002. See: http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/Jdbtxt/SC/04/01/2004BCSC0133.htm

Justice Ronald Holmes of the BC Supreme Court heard Kempling's appeal in July of 2003 but reserved judgement until yesterday. In his statement, Justice Holmes said that Kempling's editorial comments were "discriminatory", and "could reasonably cause disruption to the school system."

In a letter written by Kempling to supporters in the wake of the ruling, he explains that Justice Holmes' decision was reached despite the fact that there was no proof of such disruption nor were there any complaints, but rather that "All of my former administrators wrote letters stating that my public comments had no discernible impact on the operation of the school."

Kempling also writes that, contrary to Justice Holmes' statement implying that Kempling's editorial comments were discriminatory and upsetting to homosexuals, "In fact, a prominent homosexual interviewed by College investigators offered no opinion that what I had written publicly was upsetting to homosexual people."

Mr. Justice Holmes quoted examples of Chris Kempling's letters including:

"Thus my main concern with giving same-sex couples legal rights in child custody issues is due to the obvious instability and short-term nature of gay relationships.... My second concern is how can children develop a concept of normal sexuality when their prime care-givers have rejected the other gender entirely?" [July 27, 1997, Quesnel Cariboo Observer, guest editorial by Chris Kempling]

"Gay people are seriously at risk, not because of heterosexual attitudes, but because of their sexual behaviour, and I challenge the gay community to show some real evidence that they are trying to protect their own community members by making attempt to promote monogamous, long-lasting relationships and to combat sexual addictions." [August 10, 1997, Quesnel Cariboo Observer, response letter to the editor]

"The majority of religions consider [homosexual] behaviour to be immoral, and many mental health professionals, including myself, believe homosexuality to be the result of abnormal psycho-social influences. Homosexuality is not something to be applauded."

Comment

Each of the above statements is truthful, based on widespread sociological studies. Yet, according to Justice Holmes, they are forbidden under the British Columbia Human Rights Code.

By the reasoning of Judge Holmes, the British Columbia Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms taken together prohibit Canadians from making a true public statement about homosexual promiscuity. As journalist Rory Leishman points out, it follows that a human rights tribunal is also empowered under the law to obtain a court order requiring Canadians to apologize for making such a statement. And if we were to refuse to comply with such an order, we could be consigned to jail for contempt, as happened to John Ross Taylor. Chilling, indeed. To assist Kempling with his legal bills: Christian Public School Teachers' Legal Defence Fund, c/o Jim Sagert, 798 Beaubien Ave, Quesnel, BC, V2J 1S5. (February 4, 2004, LifeSiteNews.com, Rory Leishman)