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Email: "BC Supreme Court Upholds Kempling Suspension for Exercising “Free Speech”"

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BY LifeSiteNews.com VANCOUVER, February 4, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The BC Supreme Court ruled yesterday to uphold the right of the BC College of Teachers to suspend Christian high school teacher and student counsellor Chris Kempling for one month, without pay. Kempling wrote letters to the editor in the local newspaper during the summer holidays of 2002 critical of homosexuality. Among his “crimes” is quoting Scripture to imply that homosexual acts do not meet with the highest standards of morality.  Justice Ronald Holmes of the BC Supreme Court heard Kempling’s appeal in July of 2003 but reserved judgement until yesterday. In his statement, Justice Holmes said that Kempling’s editorial comments were “discriminatory”, and “could reasonably cause disruption to the school system.” In a letter written by Kempling to supporters in the wake of the ruling, he explains that Justice Holmes decision was reached despite the fact that there was no proof of such disruption nor were there any complaints, but rather that “All of my former administrators wrote letters stating that my public comments had no discernible impact on the operation of the school.”  Kempling also writes that, contrary to Justice Holmes statement implying Kempling’s editorial comments were discriminatory and upsetting to homosexuals, “In fact, a prominent homosexual interviewed by College investigators offered no opinion that what I had written publicly was upsetting to homosexual people.” Kempling also writes that Justice Holmes “Ignored evidence that my credibility as a teacher and community leader were not impaired.”  In his letter, Kempling writes of his intention to appeal the ruling to the BC Court of Appeal, but that, in order to do so, he will need financial help.  To assist Kempling with his legal bills: Christian Public School Teachers’ Legal Defense Fund c/o Jim Sagert 798 Beaubien Ave Quesnel, BC V2J 1S5 Or at any branch of the Royal Bank, Transit #4720, Account #101-030-5.  Read a summary of events by the BC Parents and Teachers For Life website at:  http://www.bcptl.org/rights.htm#summary Chris Kempling’s email:  Kempling@telus.net http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/bc-supreme-court-upholds-kempling-suspension-for-exercising-free-speech/

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