Jesuit University Law School Supports Radical Bill Redefining Family

[Jesuit University Law School] Supports Radical Bill Redefining Family

blog.cardinalnewmansociety.org/2012/10/08/catholic-college-supports-radical-bill-redefining-family/

A radical attempt to legislatively redefine the family in California had an unlikely ally in a Catholic college.

While many Christian organizations spoke out against a bill that would allow judges to establish that a child may legally have more than two parents, the University of San Diego, a Catholic college, has publicly supported the bill. In fact, the Children’s Advocacy Institute at USD’s Law School “co-sponsored” the bill along with the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

DefendChristians.org called the bill “another fanatical attempt to legitimize unconventional lifestyles, including homosexuality.” Benjamin Lopez, legislative analyst for the Traditional Values Coalition, reportedly called it “yet another attempt…to redefine the family.” Even California Gov. Jerry Brown, who supports same-sex “marriage”, vetoed the law on October 1 after it passed the state Senate.

But Executive Director Robert Fellmeth of the Children’s Advocacy Institute (CAI) at the University of San Diego (USD) School of Law was interviewed numerous times supporting the bill. And the university publicized these media spots on their website. Fellmeth, in a report on the Fox affiliate, defended the bill, reportedly saying “You don’t want to have a harsh rule that prohibits something when there is an occasion that you want to make an exception.”

Governor Jerry Brown found the bill too radical and warned of “unintended consequences.” USD Law’s Children Advocacy Institute reacted strongly to the veto with a statement on their website from Ed Howard, Senior Counsel, Children’s Advocacy Institute, University of San Diego School of Law, saying, “This is wrong, it hurts children, and it should not endure and we will work with the Governor and anyone else to ensure that this does not endure.“

SB 1476 stemmed from a court case involving a child’s biological mother, her same-sex partner, and a man with whom she had an affair. But the same-sex partners eventually reunited and all three wanted to be named parents. The bill would eliminate the law’s current limit of two per child.

USD is no stranger to controversy. The Cardinal Newman Society recently reported that USD recently urged undergraduate students to register for a course called “Using Adolescent and Children’s Literature to Explore LGBTQ Issues” as an approved elective for minors in Education, Gender Studies, Ethnic Studies, and Peace and Justice Studies.

Ironically, it turns out that students don’t want the course, and it was cancelled due to lack of enrollment.

And last semester, The Cardinal Newman Society reported that the university sponsored an “educational” drag show for students.