Baptist College Expels Student For Being Gay

After a student at the University of Cumberlands, a small Baptist school in Williamsburg, Kentucky revealed on his personal web page on MySpace.com that he was gay, the university promptly expelled him. The AP reports:

Jason Johnson, 20, of Lexington, was asked to leave the small Baptist school earlier this week, said Larry Cockrum, director of media relations at the university. Johnson's dismissal came after he posted on his Web page at the popular Internet site MySpace.com that he was gay. The university has a policy that says it reserves the right to expel a student who "promotes sexual behavior not consistent with Christian principles," including homosexuality.

The university would not comment on Johnson's expulsion, though school president Jim Taylor said in a statement that the school is "unapologetic about our Christian beliefs." Johnson, a sophomore majoring in theater arts who was on the dean's list, said his lawyer has advised him not to talk about his expulsion.

Cumberlands student Jennifer Roberts, a friend of Johnson's, was upset with the school's decision. "He's openly gay but doesn't flaunt it," Roberts said. "I think you would be floored by the amount of gay people at our school." Roberts added she doesn't think she's the only student who will speak out against Johnson's dismissal. "They're already printing T-shirts that say, 'Jesus loves gay people, too,"' she said.