Jennifer Keeton, the student fighting
for her right to counsel her anti-gay views, told a federal judge on
Tuesday that professors have violated her First Amendment rights, the
AP reported.
Keeton sued Augusta State University
officials last year after they declared her anti-gay beliefs
incompatible with the counseling profession.
Last year, a federal judge sided with
the university, saying it was reasonable for a public university to
enforce academic standards.
Keeton appealed the ruling, leading to
Tuesday's hearing.
According to the lawsuit, Keeton was
presented with a remediation plan in May 2010, in which faculty
members said her views on gay and transgender persons are
“professionally suspect.” The plan called for Keeton to attend a
minimum of three diversity workshops with an emphasis on the gay
community, increase her exposure and interaction with gay populations
(attending gay pride was suggested), and increase her study and
research on improving counseling effectiveness with LGBT people.
The graduate student was advised that
failure to complete the plan could result in dismissal from the
program.
Keeton described the plan as an attack
on her religious beliefs. The plan would require her to “tell
clients wanting to hear it that homosexual sex is moral,” she said
in court papers.