...why it is apparently so difficult to have a rational discussion on
the issue:
Ontario’s law society has refused to accredit a new law school at a
faith-based university over a policy prohibiting same-sex intimacy that
some say is discriminatory.
Not to mention that that a significant part of it is just plain wrong.
Maybe not as wrong as the headline, however: Law Society rejects school over gay policy
Happily, the rest of the story is more nuanced.
That said, cheers from this corner for the Ontario Benchers!
(I tried to link to the article, but it appears to have been changed. Maybe someone read it and drew the same conclusions I did!)
April 26:
Since I posted this, the Nova Scotia Bar has essentially agreed with the Ontario Bar. It's quite possible the BC Bar will reverse its decision as well, if the membership gets to vote.
Mike asked me to expand on my position. I replied:
I thought the Supremes were wrong in
the BCTF vs TWU case, and I think the Ontario Benchers are right
in this case.
My complaint with the Globe lead and headine is that it doesn't
help to describe the case as pitting the interests of same-sex
advocates against the interests of religious fundamentalists, no
matter how passionate the argument on either side. They're both,
in their own way, correct, and I have no problem with each making
his case.
However, the TWU covenant is clearly discriminatory: that's its
raison d'etre. It discriminates against all adults who are in
relationships that are not traditional man-woman marriage.
Normally this kind of discrimination of no great import, but these
activities and relationships are, in Canada, not only legal but
have the implicit blessing of the state in that they're recognized
in various laws.
When such discrimination is a condition of entering or remaining
in a professional faculty, one (education and law being two
examples) which has strict anti-discrimination bylaws written into
its professional college rules, a line has been crossed.
I should have added that the practice of law is, like teaching, a social service, a part of what makes our society work. Any person who has been sheltered in a cocoon of like-minded individuals his or her entire academic life is not, in my opinion -- no matter how professionally competent -- well prepared to confront the realities of that society, and is thus not well-prepared to fully discharge his or her duties to that society.
I believe I could give examples observed during my teaching career.
Friday, April 25, 2014
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