Student may be expelled for posting picture of school founder

Richmond (VA) - A 23-year-old law student faces disciplinary action after he posted an embarrassing picture of the school’s founder on Facebook.

Adam Key is a student at Regent University’s law school. The private Christian university was founded by televangelist Pat Robertson.

Key found a video of Robertson on YouTube in which he scratches his face with his middle finger. Key captured a screenshot and posted it on Facebook, making it appear as though Robertson was making an overtly obscene gesture.

The second-year law student was reportedly contacted by school officials and was asked to either publicly apologize or submit a letter to the dean defending himself. Key went with the latter, saying there was nothing illegal about what he did.

The university is not satisfied, though. The Associated Press reports the private institution would have grounds to expel him under its Standards of Personal Conduct. Because it is a private institution, Regent is not obligated to comply with first amendment rights.

It would probably be a questionable move nonetheless to expel a law student, one year away from graduating, for posting a picture of a nationally televised Christian TV program.