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Teacher may lose teaching license for defending Christian beliefs

The last half a decade has not been easy on B.C. teacher, Chris Kempling, reports John Jalsevac, LifeSiteNews.com.

In 2003 the soft-spoken educator was cited by the College of Teachers for professional misconduct, after he wrote in to a local newspaper outlining Christian teachings on homosexuality. After a hearing on the matter, Kempling was found guilty of the charges, and his teaching license was suspended for a month.

Kempling appealed that decision in the Canadian court system, all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. In the process he spent "well over" a hundred-thousand dollars in legal fees, he says. In the end, the Supreme Court denied his appeal.

And now Kempling has discovered that he is facing yet another citation from the College; and this time around, says Kempling, it is possible that he could lose his teaching license altogether.

During a telephone interview with LifeSiteNews today, Kempling sounded beleaguered and apprehensive. He told LifeSiteNews that he is "dismayed" by the most recent development in what has been an almost four-year-long, and extremely stressful and costly ordeal for both him and his family.

In an e-mail sent out this morning, Kempling told supporters that he received a letter informing him that he is being cited on numerous counts for conduct "unbecoming" of a teacher. One of the counts on which he has been cited, he says, is simply for being a candidate for the federal political party, the Christian Heritage Party.

"They have cited me for participating in a CBC radio interview where I quoted the Bible saying that homosexual behaviour is a barrier to salvation," he wrote, "for contributing an essay discussing the philosophical differences between social liberals and social conservatives (published in the Calgary Herald on December 29, 2003), for publishing a scholarly article in a German family journal on the topic of homosexuality, for offering orientation change therapy as part of my private counselling practice and mentioning this in a radio interview, and, incredibly, for 'knowing' that an article written by Christian Heritage Party leader Ron Gray in support of me was posted on the party's website."

"They also cited me for being 'the local representative of the Christian Heritage Party.' This is certainly true as I was the candidate for the CHP, Canada's sixth largest registered political party, in the last federal election in the Cariboo-Prince George riding (I came 5th out of 8 candidates.)"

"I'm dismayed," Kempling told LifeSiteNews today. "I'm dismayed that activities entirely outside of the scope of my job and which have engendered no reaction or complaint would result in an additional citation…I'm dismayed that their reach is extending so far into my private life, and overriding the very clear provisions in the Charter for political freedom and for freedom of speech."

What disturbs Kempling the most, he says, is how closely the College of Teachers must have been keeping tabs on him, especially to have found out such a detail as that he published an article in a German magazine.

"I'm expecting another suspension," he said about the possible results of the impending hearing, in which he will defend himself against the charges in the citation, "but they have said that the penalty could include the cancellation of my license."

Kempling expressed that if he were found guilty of the charges, he would be willing to appeal once again, although the legal fees would be extensive. "My current lawyer is supplied by the B.C. teachers Federation," he said, "but she has made it clear to me that if I wish to appeal I need to find other council. She has no interest in taking it beyond the current level."

"This is extremely distressing for me and my family, and I would welcome your prayers," Kempling wrote to his supporters this morning. He has also appealed for financial help, to assist with the mounting cost of legal fees.

"It appears that I may have to ask those who care about freedom to help me defend myself again. I am not afraid to face them, but please do not leave me like Uriah to face the enemy alone….I am happy, because I know my Christian brothers and sisters will stand with me as I face this trial yet again."

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[02/08/2008]

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