smac97 Posted July 27, 2022 Posted July 27, 2022 Back in February we discussed BYU's Speech and Language Clinic and its decision to stop providing to transgender individuals “vocal training to make their voices reflect their gender identity." At the time there was an accreditation investigation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). Anyway, today I came across this update: BYU reaffirms Mormon faith as it stops vocal clinics for transgender patients Quote Brigham Young University (BYU), an institution of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) in Utah, recently stopped offering certain clinical services to transgender individuals in fidelity to its religious commitments. The school’s Speech and Language Clinic discontinued the services earlier this year. Before the discontinuation, transgender individuals were allowed to “use the vocal training [offered by the clinic] to make their voices reflect their gender identity,” according to a July 8 report by United Press International. The decision to terminate these services was in accord with official LDS church Policies and Guidelines, which state that “[g]ender is an essential characteristic of Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness. The intended meaning of gender in the family proclamation is biological sex at birth.” “Church leaders counsel against elective medical or surgical intervention for the purpose of attempting to transition to the opposite gender of a person’s biological sex at birth ('sex reassignment'). Leaders advise that taking these actions will be cause for Church membership restrictions,” the handbook reads. I appreciate the even-handedness of this. Quote Since the services were ended, an investigation was launched by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA), and the university drew harsh criticism from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). On February 11, ASHA released a statement condemning BYU’s decision. "The decision by the Brigham Young University (BYU) administration to require their Department of Communication Disorders to end all voice and communication services at its Speech and Language Clinic for transgender clients is in direct opposition to practice expected of ASHA members and contrary to the ASHA Code of Ethics (2016)," the statement reads. Here's the bit about the CAA investigation: Quote The CAA, which is responsible for accrediting BYU’s MS education program in speech-language pathology, sent BYU a letter on March 29 informing them of the investigation. In the letter, CAA questions whether the BYU program “complies” with standards for accreditation, including “Equitable Treatment” and “Diversity Reflected into the Curriculum.” The investigation was dropped in early June, however, according to BYU’s Media Relations Manager, Todd Hollingshead. “In early June, BYU was notified by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) that after considering the complaint and BYU’s submitted response, the Council determined that it would not be carrying out an investigation and that BYU’s program remains in compliance with CAA’s Standards for Accreditation,” Hollingshead explained. I'm glad this matter was resolved. Thanks, -Smac 2
Calm Posted July 27, 2022 Posted July 27, 2022 (edited) Some discussion here, including info from Juliann about ASHA. https://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/74665-byu-could-lose-accreditation-for-speech-language-pathology-program/page/2/#comment-1210106160 Edited July 27, 2022 by Calm
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