GROVE CITY, Pa. – A college student’s part-time job ended up costing him more than the education he was trying to fund when the Christian university he attended suspended him for working in gay porn.
John Gechter, a 22-year-old senior molecular biology major who self-identifies as bisexual, is appealing the one-year suspension from Grove City College after a classmate recognized him in a video on an adult website and accidentally informed school officials. If the college does not readmit him, he said he may sue the school, since what he does on his own time is nobody’s business but his.
“I absolutely believe the college violated my rights,” Gechter told Sharon, Pa.’s The Herald newspaper. “They [suspended] me based on my occupation. I was not doing anything illegal.”
College officials disagree. Even though Gechter appeared in porn using a pseudonym, his behavior “exhibited behavior contrary to the values” of the institution and could reflect badly on faculty, staff and other students. Gechter was aware his behavior would be frowned upon before he embarked on the part-time career, they added.
Gechter was not suspended because of his sexual orientation, the school hastened to point out.
“[Gechter] acknowledged that he was employed in the adult entertainment industry and that he knew that violated the student code of conduct,” a prepared statement released by GCC officials noted. “Throughout this process, his sexual orientation was not a factor in the decision.”
GCC Communications Director Amy Clingensmith told The Herald the school’s primary concern is for Gechter’s wellbeing.
“Clearly something happened since he’s been here for four years that led him down this unfortunate path,” she said. “We want to get him out of that type of life.”
The college takes a hard line when it comes to sex. The student handbook prescribes a suspension of at least one week for everything from “throwing soap” and “water battles” to “possessing pornographic material” or engaging in “premarital sex, heterosexual or homosexual, or any other such conduct that violates historical Christian standards.” In cases of egregious offenses, the school “reserves the right to issue immediate suspension or dismissal … where the safety of life, property, or reputation of the college or its members is at stake.”
According to The Herald, Gechter had been working in gay porn for two years in order to pay his annual $18,514 bill for tuition, room, board and a computer. In order to maintain its independence from laws and regulations, GCC does not accept any form of federal student aid.
“When I first came to Grove City, I was pressed for money and I worked four jobs trying to make ends meet,” Gechter told The Herald. “Money was always an issue as I tried to keep my head above water. Then I started modeling, which earned me significant money.”
He said he has appeared in about 15 scenes for the gay porn website.
“I’ve paid my entire way through school and truth is, if I didn’t do porn, I wouldn’t be able to [attend] GCC,” he told the newspaper.
The university has not said what disciplinary action, if any, was taken against the student who unintentionally tipped off administrators by “browsing inappropriate content” and forwarding Gechter’s images to classmates via email.
