Georgetown Suspends Student for Refusing LGBT Training

Here's a troubling development at Georgetown University, courtesy of Kira Davis at Conservative Daily News. Georgetown University participates in a program called the Community Scholars Program which provides scholarships to GU for disadvantaged youth from across the country. The students attend a 5-week summer intensive on campus to prepare for fall courses. One workshop they were required to attend was an LGBTQ (when did the Q get on there? Seriously folks, are you going to use the whole alphabet?) “sensitivity training.” Jarrett Roby from Chicago, IL was one of the lucky attendees, but when he was told he had to attend the training or risk disciplinary action Roby chose his religious convictions over program policy and refused to attend. A debate ensued and Roby (young and black and yes, that may be unfortunately relevant here) was accused of making the residential assistants feel “physically threatened”. Here is the story in Roby’s own words and you can find more information and exclusive coverage at kiradavis.net.

I’m just greatly saddened about the situation. Officially, the program directors will say I was dismissed from the program because I left 3 of the RAs feeling physically threatened. However I never mentioned anything remotely violent or did anything violent. Also I am confident that all of my peers would support the fact that I have never showed an ounce of violence and any such claims are flawed. The directors of the program who dismissed me said that their reasoning may not be fair, but they were not going to ask for a general consensus of me. Considering this, I believe I was asked to leave the program because I took a conservative stand against a liberal ideology and liberal group of people who are in charge of the program. Every scholar apart of the program was signed up for an LGBTQ seminar for Monday (July 23). I decided this was a seminar I would not attend. I am a devout Christian so I have no animosity in my heart toward any man whether he is gay or straight. I am required to love all people and I try my best to do so. I have no problems with homosexuals because it is the natural and God given right to be with whom they want to be with (Freewill). I do not support Gay rights, but as a supporter of the US constitution I do tolerate them. Because I have an established view point on LGBTQ I did not think it was necessary for me to go to the seminar. I approached a RA privately with my appeal on Sunday and it was automatically shut down and I was told I could expect to be written up if I did not go to the seminar. I held my peace and persisted with the idea of not going. Later that night other students got wind that I was not planning on going to the seminar. I was automatically attacked and deemed “closed-minded” and “ignorant”. In the mist of this rising confrontation I began to speak up to try and explain to other scholars how I was not trying to be intolerant. During this discussion the same three RAs that decided that they felt physically threaten tried to stop the conversation and send everyone to their rooms before the established curfew. I once again spoke up in protest of the early curfew and with an appeal that everyone calms down and back off. As the intensity died down it was clear that the RAs had personal biases toward LGBTQ and were against anyone who spoke against it. I heard the RAs say negative things about me but I didn’t respond because once everything died down it was curfew and I did not want to turn a political debate into and emotional onslaught. The next day I was called in by the program directors and told my actions during the informal debate had reassured the RAs feeling of being threatened. I was told that there had been a meeting with the RA’s and it was decided that I could not stay because 3 RAs were scared for the safety. I believe a true injustice was done to me. I am not looking for revenge, but I am trying to help stop injustice.

– Jarret Roby