A CHRISTIAN preacher thrown off a university social work course after expressing views on Facebook opposing same-sex marriage has lost his legal battle.
Felix Ngole took his challenge over his expulsion from the University of Sheffield to the High Court where a two-day hearing was held last month.
The 39-year-old father-of-four, who lives on Aireton Road, Barnsley, claimed Sheffield University bosses unfairly stopped him completing a postgraduate degree and breached his human rights.
He had expressed support in a Facebook discussion for Kim Davis, a county clerk from Kentucky in the US who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licences after the introduction of same-sex unions in 2015.
Felix told deputy judge Rowena Collins-Rice that he was lawfully expressing traditional Christian views.
He claimed far from discriminating against others he had suffered religious discrimination.
“The way I was treated made me feel that their duty of care to me immediately ended from the day they received that complaint,” he said.
“I am not against people who are in same-sex relationships, that is their choice, but I am a Christian and if asked for my views I should be free to express that.
“I didn’t intimidate anyone and I didn’t treat them in a discriminatory manner.”
Felix, a supply teacher, was backed by the Christian Legal Centre and said the case could have implications for others.
But the university argued that it was ‘fair and proportionate’ to remove him from the course.
They argued that he was taking a professionally qualifying degree with the aim of becoming a social worker and that what he said would affect gay people he might work with.
The judge ruled against him last Friday.
After the hearing, Felix told the Chronicle the fight was not over and he would be appealing the decision.
“It’s not the result I wanted, definitely not,” he said.
“I am disappointed but it is a case which we have to appeal because of the significance of the case about freedom of speech.
“It doesn’t matter whether you are Christian or not, freedom of speech is important to everyone particularly if you are a student at university where you go to study and challenge ideas and I feel it is fundamentally wrong that a university would start to define what they think is right for students to debate on and which ideas they believe are right.
“It’s very disappointing and has a chilling effect to every Christian out there and student who believes in traditional marriage.
“I feel strongly that this not something we should allow to happen in a free and democratic society.”
Felix, who was born in Cameroon but has been in the UK since 2003, said he received thousands of messages of support from across the globe since the ruling was announced.
“They are not just from Christians but from Muslims, people across the board and even gay people who feel this is not done in their name.
“It gives me reassurance that what I am fighting for is just and fair.”
