Canadian Catholic student arrested, charged after saying men, women are different: 'Embarrassing'
Attorney James Kitchen says options for legal recourse are 'limited'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Arrested for holding Christian beliefs at a Christian school? Canadian Catholic high school student Josh Alexander claims that's the story behind authorities arresting – and charging – him for trying to attend class last month.
Alexander was a student at a Canadian Catholic high school in Ontario until he spoke his mind over concerns of men in women's restrooms at the institution.
Distinguishing men from women and believing God created only two genders, he suggested, eventually led authorities to arrest and charge him for the offense.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Canadian Catholic high school student Josh Alexander says he was arrested for trying to attend class after arguing that men and women are different. (Tucker Carlson Tonight / Screengrab / Rebel News Canada)
"There were a lot of steps that it took to get to that point," he told Fox News' Tucker Carlson on Friday.
"Female students complained to me that they were concerned because males were using their washrooms. This turned into a debate at the school. I stated my opinion on it, and I used Scripture to back it up," Alexander said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"They removed me from the building for the remainder of the year and, when I attempted to attend class, I was arrested and charged," he continued.
Alexander said he pointed out the school's Christian identity, claiming that he took a related discussion to school administrators who refused to hear him out.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Canadian Catholic high school student Josh Alexander claims that's the story behind authorities arresting – and charging – him for trying to attend class last month. (Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images / File)
Attorney James Kitchen joined the conversation Friday, discussing with Fox News the "limited" legal recourse available for representing Alexander's free speech rights, saying Canada's "much weaker" constitution is a hurdle to overcome.
"There seems to be, culturally and legally, much less respect for individual rights and freedoms and much more interest in government having the power to do what it wants," he said. "But there is legal recourse to the Ontario Human Rights Commission in this case … we think there's been religious discrimination on the basis of Josh's Christian religious beliefs, so we're going to file a complaint to the Ontario Human Rights Commission."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Alexander called Canada's police state "quite embarrassing," pointing to his run-ins with them from last year's freedom convoy in which Canadian truckers protested, much to the dismay of their government, COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
He told Carlson that he would like to continue high school and hopes his beliefs will not bar him from the opportunity.
"It would appear that's the way it's going to be," he said.
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