Borough residents spoke to the State College Borough Council about a potential anti-discrimination ordinance that would protect residents from discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation, gender expression or marital status, among several other things at the meeting last night.
Tom Shakely, founder of the student advocacy group Safeguard Old State (SOS), said students should be included as a protected group in the ordinance. Shakely said other towns with a strong university presence, such as Ann Arbor, Mich., have similar laws that protect students from discrimination.
Shakely said one regulation, which prohibits three unrelated people from living in the same house, is an example of anti-student policy.
However, Council President Cathy Dauler said the rule was intended for the protection of students from landlords who could "victimize" them.
Council Member Elizabeth Goreham said the regulation was "not intended as anti-student, but for the protection of our neighborhoods and tax base." Goreham said it was "unfortunate" that Shakely felt there was anti-student bias in the borough, adding that it was something council should look into.
Only one resident who spoke at the public hearing expressed outright disagreement with the proposed ordinance. Andrew Sicree said it would "discriminate against Catholics" to pass the ordinance.
"If you are a Catholic or a Christian, it's not something you do one hour a day," he said. "The ordinance would enforce against church teachings and those who live actively as Christians."
Other residents voiced their support for the ordinance. David Brown, a resident who said he has been a psychologist in the borough for 30 years, said he has at least one client every month who has suffered discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Brown also said it made him "very sad" to hear people justify discrimination with their religion.
"As a Catholic, I am embarrassed people impose Jesus' name to dehumanize people," he said.
Bob Passow, a representative from the Commission for Social Justice at St. Andrew's Church, also spoke in support of the ordinance. He said the ordinance was a "matter of social justice."
"We know today that about 10 percent of our population is gay, and of that 10 percent, they did not choose that," he said. "My son is gay ... my daughter has an illness that puts her in a wheelchair ... you don't choose these things. You come that way."
Tony D'Augelli, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Outreach from the College of Health and Human Development, said he has spent most of his career researching how discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender expression affects people.
"When people feel open with their lives, they have healthier lives," he said.
Several state officials spoke in support of the ordinance, but warned the council that having separate anti-discrimination ordinances for housing and employment created a legal problem.
Stephen Glassman, chairman of the state Human Relations Commission, said having separate documents created "potential inconsistencies." He said it was good that the borough was attempting to expand on the protected classes already designated by the state, as 14 other municipalities have done, but stressed that the council should not approve such an ordinance without first consulting with the commission.
