No sex please we're mormons

[Gob]

Student basketball star suspended for pre-marital sex

Brandon Davies Mr Davies was a star player on the school's successful basketball team

A university in the US state of Utah has suspended a star basketball player for having pre-marital sex with his girlfriend in violation of the school's strict "honour code".

Brandon Davies was dropped after admitting the transgression to staff at Brigham Young University (BYU).

His team, ranked 3rd in the nation in college basketball, went on to lose against an unranked team on Wednesday.

The BYU honour code requires students to be "chaste and virtuous".

BYU officials have defended the decision after the news was first reported by the Salt Lake Tribune, saying that students are fully aware of the rigorous code, and often choose the school because of it.

"We live this. This is who we are," said Tom Holmoe, BYU athletic director.

The Utah-based university is run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as the Mormon church. All students agree to abide by the honour code, which reflects Mormon values.

The code includes prohibitions on drinking, smoking, drugs, tea, coffee, swearing and sex, as well as a commitment regularly to attend church.

Mr Davies suspension has garnered headlines across the country because it comes at the beginning of the prestigious NCAA tournament - a nationwide contest for university teams, often called "March Madness".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12652669

[@meric@nwom@n]

Mormons have sex. There wouldn't be so many of them if they did not. That being said, what is your point in posting this? He knew what was expected when he joined the team.

[Long Run]

So he was kicked off the team for wrestling with a girl?

[Joe Guy]

Mormons have sex. There wouldn't be so many of them if they did not. That being said, what is your point in posting this? He knew what was expected when he joined the team.

My guess is that Gob wanted to start a discussion on the subject.

[Lord Jim]

I've read that the young lady in question may also be with child....

But I think the operative point is very simple; Brigham Young is a private institution, and nobody is forced to attend there. (You wouldn't have gotten me to go there at bayonet point) he knew the rules going in; it may look silly to you and me, but I see absolutely nothing inappropriate or unfair about their decision.

[Scooter]

What if he had been expelled for interracial dating (a la Bob Jones University) instead of premarital sex

Would that be as defensible in a private institution

[Lord Jim]

What if he had been expelled for interracial dating (a la Bob Jones University) instead of premarital sex

Would that be as defensible in a private institution

That may fall afoul of federal civil rights laws....

To the best of my knowledge, there's nothing in any federal civil rights statute that would prohibit a private institution from imposing a rule like this as a voluntary condition for attending the institution.

[dgs49]

The university did not IMPOSE this rule. The students - and in particular the basketball players - sign an affirmation that they will live by it. If they didn't want to live up to it, they could have gone to a state school and lived any way they wanted to.

Why should anyone have to "defend the decision" to adhere to the principles on which the school is founded?

Now, if they had elected to give him a pass, then they would have a decision to defend and justify.

Jim, there is no "civil rights statute" that could prevent a private college from disciplining a student for violating one of its rules of conduct, even if the rule were, "no interracial dating." Private school. Just as there is no law that can force a country club to admit women, or blacks, or homosexuals, as members.

[Big RR]

It depends if the school accepts federal money, as I'd bet BYU does; not exactly a private institution then.

[Long Run]

If there is racial discrimination then the private school is not eligible for federal money or federal tax exemption (Bob Jones University). But that is not the case at BYU. Heck, at BYU, they have security cite you for taking a shortcut across the lawn rather than staying on the cement walkways. That is a place with some rules to live by.

[Mr. Duality]

BYU is to be admired for even-handed enforcement of its rules. The star player in question didn't have to go to BYU if he didn't want to promise to obey the rules. Almost any other school would have treated a star athlete differently.

[dgs49]

Is is racially discriminatory to discourage inter-racial dating? Or inter-faith dating? Or same-sex dating?

Everyone is treated equally. It's my understanding that Bob Jones U had a fairly significant number of Blacks in their student body, who didn't find their policies discriminatory at all.

[Scooter]

Is is racially discriminatory to discourage inter-racial dating? Or inter-faith dating? Or same-sex dating?

Everyone is treated equally.

The complete speciousness of that argument was rather neatly dealt with in a case called Loving v. Virginia.

It's my understanding that Bob Jones U had a fairly significant number of Blacks in their student body, who didn't find their policies discriminatory at all.

First, you have no way of knowing what any student, black or white, thought about the rule, whether or not they chose to abide by it. Many people choose to live under rules with which they do not agree, which is why you continue to live in the U.S. and haven't pulled up stakes to move elsewhere since Obama was elected.

Second, even if black students at BJU supported the rule, it doesn't make it any less racist for a black person to oppose interracial dating than it would if that person were white. Or are you one of those people who believe that only whites can be racist?

[dgs49]

I believe the term "racist" is broad enough to include just about anyone.

One could easily and forcefully argue that our Attorney General is a racist, based solely on his public statements.

But I don't see anything "racist" about discouraging inter-racial dating (or inter-faith dating, or inter-ethnic dating). Anyone who has any interest in the statistics about marriage knows that the more common ground a couple has, the more likely they are to have a successful relationship.

[Scooter]

I don't see anything "racist" about discouraging inter-racial dating

Why am I not surprised?

[MajGenl.Meade]

Student basketball star suspended for pre-marital sex

When I first read that headline I thought "Well those Mormons are certainly getting adventurous".

But I guess it was just the compulsory missionary position thing after all

Meade

[Sue U]

Student basketball star suspended for pre-marital sex

When I first read that headline I thought "Well those Mormons are certainly getting adventurous".

But I guess it was just the compulsory missionary position thing after all

Meade

However, no one has yet denied there was a trapeze invovled. Until there is proof to the contrary, I'm just going to assume there was.