Christian students at two different universities are being punished for disagreeing with their schools' policies on homosexuality.

Julea Ward was expelled from the graduate program in school counseling at Eastern Michigan University. She had told her professors that her faith would keep her from affirming the gay lifestyle for homosexual clients.

A federal judge has upheld her expulsion by the school.

The Alliance Defense Fund has stepped in to help Ward appeal the ruling.

Click here to read Ward's complaint against EMU.

"Christian students shouldn't be expelled for holding to and abiding by their beliefs," said ADF Senior Counsel David French, who argued the case before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan last month. "To reach its decision, the court had to do something that's never been done in federal court: uphold an extremely broad and vague university speech code."

Meanwhile, a counseling student at Augusta State University in Georgia is also being punished for standing up for her beliefs.

Jennifer Keeton said she was told she would not be allowed to graduate unless she changed her Christian beliefs against homosexuality.

The ADF has filed a lawsuit on her behalf as well.

Click here to read Keeton's complaint agaist ASU. 

"It's an emerging issue, without question," French said. "Requiring a student to change his or her beliefs to graduate is "punishment of free speech."

"That is not the role of the state and it is not within the power of the state," he added.

Source: LifeSiteNews