A California college report has
concluded that a science professor violated district policy when he
presented anti-gay views as facts, Fresno-based ABC30 reported.
The American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU) has accused Professor Dr. Bradley Lopez of presenting
“religiously-based and anti-gay views as 'science' or 'fact'.”
The Fresno City College health instructor has denied the allegations.
A report released over the weekend by
Christopher Villa, vice president of student services, found Lopez
guilty of violating district policy.
“Dr. Lopez engaged in conduct that
could result in the creation of a hostile learning environment by
unreasonably interfering with students' learning by making insulting
comments directed at homosexuals,” the report said.
Lopez is accused of giving lectures
where he taught that being gay is a “biological misapplication of
human sexuality” and said that the “recommended treatment” is
“psychological counseling” or “hormone supplements,”
presented gay men and lesbians as a threat to society, used Bible
passages as “empirical” evidence that life begins at conception,
and asserted that abortion is “the leading cause of death in this
country.”
During a February 24 press conference,
Lopez denied the charges, telling reporters: “Everything I teach is
within the context of Health Science 1 on this campus.” Lopez
defended his use of the Bible or religious views, saying they were
intended to stir critical thinking.
But administrators concluded that Lopez
had made statements “unrelated to any legitimate course objective”
and added that professors “may not engage in religious
indoctrination as Dr. Lopez did here.”
Two students told the ACLU that their
complaints to administration officials were dismissed.
“I feel very let down by my school,”
said Jacqui Mahaffey, a 24-year-old student who took Lopez's class
and complained to officials.
“I signed up for health science
because I was interested in the subject, but what I got was hateful
lecturing based on Professor Lopez's personal beliefs. I am in
school to learn, not to be indoctrinated with one professor's
religious views and anti-gay beliefs.”
The college said it would take
appropriate action but did not disclose any details.