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Friday, July 23, 2010

On Homosexuality and Catholicism-UPDATE


I recently linked a story on this blog regarding the firing of Professor Ken Howell by the University of Illinois. Mr Howell was let go by the university apparently because, in the process of explaining the Catholic stance on the topic of homosexuality, Professor Howell, gasp!, actually taught the stance of the Roman Catholic church on the topic of homosexuality. This of course was in conjunction with teaching courses at the university on "Modern Catholic Thought" and "Introduction to Catholicism". It now appears that the university is reconsidering it's dismissal as reported in this article by CNS News....

"Threats of legal action persist after the University of Illinois responded to demands by the Alliance Defense Fund to fully reinstate a professor relieved of duty for teaching Catholic doctrine on homosexuality in a Catholic doctrine class.

The university said that the professor had not been “fired” -- and “there is no case or controversy” at this time.

As CNSNews.com previously reported, Dr. Kenneth Howell claimed that the head of the religion department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) informed him last May that he would no longer be teaching on campus due to complaints of “hate speech” over teaching Catholic doctrine on homosexuality in an Introduction to Catholicism class.

In a letter to the Alliance Defense Fund, Steven Veazie, deputy counsel for the University of Illinois, said that Howell is still on staff.

“(C)ontrary to some reports, Prof. Howell has not been ‘fired.’ He held, and continues to hold, the appointment of adjunct professor,” Veazie wrote.

According to Veazie, Howell’s teaching assignment for the fall semester “is as yet undetermined pending a review of this matter by the Faculty Senate’s Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure.”


Wait, do you mean that just because one goofball student who wasn't even in Professor Howell's class, characterized Howell's defense of the Catholic teachings on the subject as "hate speech", that it does not necessarily make it so? I'm just a bum sitting around in my undershirt in SoFLA and even I could tell you that. Don't these people who are running this university have any education whatsoever? Isn't it the least bit incredible that I even have to ask such a question?


4 comments:

Jquip said...

Inevitable climb down. You'll note Veazie still left it open as to whether he'll be still hired but without a class.

J Curtis said...

Ahhh,

I hadnt considered that.

The Catholic Apologist said...

Oh, they have "education" JC- that is why this nonsense is going on-- it is intelligence they lack.

Tracy said...

I'm actually laughing as I read this - He's teaching a class on Catholicism and can't teach what they believe regarding a specific issue? Sure doesn't make sense.

I was thinking what Jquip said above; they'll keep him on, but perhaps he won't be teaching.