A federal court ruled in favor of Julea Ward, an Eastern Michigan University (EMU) graduate student represented by Alliance Defense Fund attorneys, who was expelled from a counseling program for her Christian beliefs. This is a major victory for religious freedom on campus—for Christian students in Michigan and across the nation.

Victory for Religious Freedom on Campus

In March 2009, Julea Ward was wrongfully expelled from EMU’s counseling program for holding to her Christian beliefs. She had been assigned a potential client seeking assistance regarding a sexual relationship that violated her religious beliefs. Knowing she could not affirm the relationship without violating her religious convictions, Julea followed the counseling code of ethics (and her advisor’s instructions) and had the clinic assign the client to another counselor. “I explained that I was a Christian, and that I could not [endorse] homosexual behavior,” said Julea.

Shortly afterward, EMU informed Julea that she would need to undergo a “remediation” program in order to stay in the counseling program. Its purpose was to help her “see the error of her ways” and change her “belief system.” At a formal review hearing, EMU faculty belittled her Christian views and asked her several inappropriate questions concerning her faith. A few days later, Julea was notified by letter that she had been dismissed from EMU’s graduate program.

Julea turned to ADF, who filed suit against EMU for violating her rights of conscience and for punishing her because of her sincerely held Christian beliefs. Initially, a district court upheld EMU’s expulsion of Julea. But ADF appealed her case, and a federal court ruled in favor of Julea, sending the case back for trial. “A university cannot compel a student to alter or violate her belief systems... as the price for obtaining a degree,” the 6th Circuit wrote. “Tolerance is a two-way street.”

We praise God for this encouraging victory!

Your support can make all the difference

ADF is committed to reclaiming and preserving religious freedom on public university campuses. By God’s grace, and with the prayers and financial support of Christians like you, we will continue our winning record of success—defending the constitutionally protected rights of students, like Julea Ward, to freely live out their faith.