ICC Note: In September of 2015, a Master’s student in the UK was expelled from the University of Sheffield in South Yorkshire over a post on his personal Facebook page. The post included Scriptural verses about homosexuality and, after which, the school claimed that he crossed boundaries that are inappropriate for a student of social work. Recently, the student was granted the ability to challenge the expulsion through a judicial review in court.
By Heather Clark
04/27/2017 United Kingdom (Christian News Network) – A student at a prominent university in the United Kingdom who was expelled over a post on his personal Facebook page that outlined the biblical stance on homosexuality has been granted the right to challenge his expulsion in court.
Deputy High Court Judge James Lewis opined on Wednesday that Felix Ngole’s expulsion from the University of Sheffield in South Yorkshire might have been too severe of a reaction. He gave the student permission to bring his case before the High Court in London for formal review.
As previously reported, in September 2015, Ngole, 39, had posted on his private Facebook page—which is only able to be viewed by his friends—his support for Kentucky clerk Kim Davis and outlined what the Scriptures state about sexuality, citing the biblical law in Leviticus.
However, nearly two months later, Ngole’s post was brought to the attention of administrators at the University of Sheffield, which touts itself as a “world top-100 university and number one in the U.K. for student satisfaction in the 2014-15 Times Higher Student Experience Survey.”
Ngole, who was a second-year Master’s student studying to be a social worker, then became the subject of a “Fitness to Practice” hearing, as he was advised that he “may have caused offense to some individuals” and had “transgressed boundaries which are not deemed appropriate for someone entering the social work profession.”
Following additional meetings, the Sheffield committee concluded that Ngole’s beliefs would negatively affect his “ability to carry out a role as a social worker,” and was consequently advised that he was “excluded from further study on a program leading to a professional qualification.” The school recently informed Ngole that he is “no longer recognized as a university student.”
