凡有男生溝女即踢出校 School can expel lesbian students, court rules Anappeals panel finds California Lutheran High School in Riverside Countyis not a business and therefore doesn't have to comply with a state lawbarring discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Reportingfrom San Francisco -- After a Lutheran school expelled two 16-year-oldgirls for having "a bond of intimacy" that was "characteristic of alesbian relationship," the girls sued, contending the school hadviolated a state anti-discrimination law.
In response to that suit, an appeals court decided this week that theprivate religious school was not a business and therefore did not haveto comply with a state law that prohibits businesses fromdiscriminating. A lawyer for the girls said Tuesday that he would askthe California Supreme Court to overturn the unanimous ruling by athree-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal.
The appeals court called its decision "narrow," but lawyers on bothsides of the case said it would protect private religious schoolsacross California from such discrimination suits.
Kirk D. Hanson, who represented the girls, said the "very troubling"ruling would permit private schools to discriminate against anyone, aslong as the schools used their religious beliefs as justification.
"It is almost like it could roll back 20 to 30 years of progress wehave made in this area," said the San Diego attorney. "Basically, thisdecision gives private schools the license to discriminate."