When Health Class Becomes Homophobic Lecturing

Forget learning about the circulatory system, the respiratory system, the nervous system, or even the digestive system. Inside the health classes at Fresno City College, you're likely only to learn one thing: that homosexuals are a "misapplication of human sexuality," and that if you're queer, you should seek treatment.

At least, that's what you'll learn if you're inside the classroom of Professor Dr. Bradley Lopez, who teaches an introductory health class at the college. The ACLU sent a letter to Fresno City College today, documenting some rather homophobic and unscientific curriculum from Lopez's classroom.

According to the ACLU, in addition to telling his students that homosexuality is evil and that gay folks should become ex-gay folks, Dr. Lopez has told his students that homosexuality is a threat to society, and that instead of global warming, students should worry about hellfire and damnation. Oh, and the ACLU says that Dr. Lopez has used quotes from the Bible as empirical evidence to teach his health class students that life begins at conception, and that abortion is murder.

Let Fresno City College's President and Vice President know that this type of academic experience is far from academic excellence. Allowing someone to co-opt a health class in order to teach homophobia is damaging to students, and to the reputation of Fresno City College.

One student who took Professor Lopez's class said that she did not expect to be taught religion inside a health seminar.

"I feel very let down by my school,” said Jacqui Mahaffey, a 24-year-old student. “I signed up for health science because I was interested in the subject, but what I got was hateful lecturing based on Professor Lopez’s personal beliefs. I am in school to learn, not to be indoctrinated with one professor’s religious views and anti-gay beliefs.”

Fresno City College is also a public school, which means that not only is Dr. Lopez's salary supported by public funds, but that there should be measures of accountability put in place to make sure that professors are teaching students a curriculum that will benefit them in the real world.

That's exactly what staff attorneys with the ACLU are arguing. If Fresno City College doesn't respond, there will be further action in the works.

“The college class room of a state school should be a welcoming environment for all students, and courses, especially health courses, should be based on objective and medically accurate information, not religiously-based bias,” said Elizabeth Gill, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Northern California. “While Professor Lopez is free to talk about his religious beliefs outside of the classroom, Fresno City College has an obligation to protect its students from religious indoctrination and anti-gay bias presented as ‘science’ or ‘fact.’ Professor Lopez’s health class fails students in both regards.”

If you agree that Fresno City College has an obligation to make sure their classrooms are safe spaces, not to mention places where facts and science are taught in the classroom instead of personal belief and opinion, send Fresno City College a message. The only thing on the line is their academic reputation.

Photo credit: newzar