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Federal court:
Officials can uphold pro-gay policies

Federal court:
Officials can uphold pro-gay policies

A federal appeals court has ruled that Ohio officials can discipline public employees who discriminate against gays.

Ohio officials can discipline public employees who discriminate against gays and lesbians, even if the workers say they are following religious beliefs, a federal appeals court has ruled. The decision by the sixth U.S. circuit court of appeals in Cincinnati is being hailed as a major victory for the gay rights movement, reports The [Cleveland] PlainDealer.

The ruling appears to be the first of its kind in Ohio and could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The case involves a lengthy dispute between a Protestant prison chaplain and his bosses in the state prison system. They clashed over the chaplain's refusal to let a gay inmate direct a penitentiary choir in 2002.

William Akridge, a Baptist minister, welcomed gay inmates to his worship services but would not allow them to become leaders in the nondenominational events, ThePlain Dealer reported. A prisoner filed a discrimination complaint against Akridge, saying he had been a Christian for 22 years and the church he attended before he was locked up "would not tolerate bigotry."

Prison officials upheld his complaint, and the chaplain sued, saying that if he allowed a gay man to lead the choir, he would feel "shameful in the eyes of God." (The Advocate)

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