This from the Washington Post :
“They (employees) must be transparent,” Shorter President Donald Dowless (photo) told the Rome News-Tribune. “The rules are already in place and we have set up fair expectations up front. It is not unusual for any company to have a code of conduct.”
To better ensure its staff follows the school’s biblical mandate, Georgia's Shorter University told its 200 employees late last month to sign a “Personal Lifestyle Statement” rejecting homosexuality, adultery and premarital sex.
The New York Daily News reports that those who don’t sign the pledge may lose their jobs.
The pledge also bans teachers and administrators at the conservative Christian university from drinking alcohol in front of students and requires they be active in local churches.
A gay university employee told the Georgia Voice that the pledge has many employees fearing witchhunts. “We now will live in fear that someone who doesn't like us personally or someone who has had a bad day will report that we've been drinking or that we are suspected of being gay,” he said.
The employee, who chose to remain anonymous for fear of repercussion by the school, said that while students don’t have to sign the pledge, they, too, are worried about how they might be affected next.
Tamara King Henderson, a student at Shorter who says she is bisexual, commented on the Georgia Voice story that she was concerned the pledge could impact her education. “This could hurt the University’s ability to attract the best and the brightest professors available... [and] ability to receive federal funds.”
Henderson also quoted anti-Nazi theologian and Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller, who said: “ First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”
“Will the students be next?” she asked.
20 comments:
I understand that the University in question is a Christian based university, and that they are trying to "protect" their integrity, but an action as harsh as this one will only serve to hurt the University in the long run.
By enforcing these standards, how does the university expect to reach out to the brightest and best professors out there? Not only does it stunt learning experiences for students, but it also creates an atmosphere of fear and stress. If teachers are expected to sign this statement, then what is keeping the university from making the students do the same? This infringes upon the personal safety and well being of teachers and students alike.
As a Christian school shouldn't the policy be forgiveness and acceptance?
Just for the record:
It is perfectly legal for a teacher to be fired for being gay in the Kentucky public schools. For that matter, it is also perfectly legal for a teacher not to be hired by a district if he/ she is presumed to be gay.
It would be very easy to attack the University for the Pledge that they have insisted employees sign but instead I feel sorry for the school. The ones who are really hindered by the new requirement is the University. While a person’s life style affects their job performance to a certain extent (such as excessive drinking or drug use) their sex orientation does not. Shorter could be missing out on wonderful employees, and for that matter student. Because of the sensitivity of the issue that is being dealt with the school will, more than likely receive a lot of negative publicity and this could affect potential student’s decisions on whether or not to attend. I myself have always thought of a University as a place rich in diversity, a place that creates well rounded individuals, and in my opinion Shorter University is taking a step in the wrong direction.
The fact that an employee is gay or not should not matter whatsoever when it comes to keeping their job. A person's personal life should not play a role in their professional life. Teachers are not supposed to talk about their personal life to their students so it shouldn't matter to the employer. Teachers should have a right to their privacy. They should also feel safe when they go to work and not have to worry about other staff members judging what their sexuality is.
I understand that this university is a christian based one, and i also understand that in the christian faith there is no room for homosexuality. With that being said i feel that if somebody especially a teacher wants to teach at this school and they are gay, then they won't last long. What I'm trying to say is that there are other ways around this scenario. If somebody is truly a christian, no doubt then they wouldn't have any trouble going to seminars everyday and so forth, which the university should enforce. If you only want christian based religion people in your university, make it where a non christian wouldn't want to be there.
Dear Cody,
I was pleased to read your post, but I'm not certain that all Christian churches "make no room for homosexuality."
Actually, many of the Christian churches make no pronouncements on homosexuality at all, or they welcome gay, lesbian, and trans-gendered congregants. In Lexington, Kentucky, for example, several churches welcome people of all sexual orientations. Three examples are Central Christian Church downtown, along with St. Michael's and Christ Episcopal. Lexington's own Reverend Eugene Robinson, a graduate of Lafayette High School,is an ordained Episcopal bishop in New Hampshire who visits Lexington often.
There seems to be a myth perpetuated in our Commonwealth (where Baptists and Methodists set a spiritual tone that manifests itself in the political sphere)that all churches view homosexuality as a sin, that homosexuality is incompatible with Christianity. And many of those churches who do view homosexuality as a sin unabashedly say that the Christian churches should and always will be a gathering place for sinners--regardless of the sin.
A big challenge facing a new group of young teachers, who are overwhelmingly straight, is the presence of gay and lesbian students in the public school classroom. Chances are these prospective teachers will receive little or no training in the education of gay and lesbian students at the state universities.
But I continue to remain optimistic that in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, where the majority of teachers are Christian and straight, the new core of teachers will accord their gay and lesbian students the dignity to which they are entitled.
November 30, 2011 12:16 PM and Cody: Add to the Lexington list the Woodland Christian Church, which last year voted to be what it has long been - an open and affirming community.
I always understood a sin to be a sin with no magnitude or degree to rank them, so seems like they should also ask if anyone has committed adultry, been disrespectfull to their parents, lied, had lustful thoughts,etc.
A strict application to this interpetation aligned with automatic termination for transgressions should logically result in staffing and student populations respresentative of God's will - a Christian school with no staff, faculty or students.
I can understand that the school feels they have to uphold certain standards because they are a Christian based school, but this is taking it to the extreme. Certain aspects of a persons lifestyle can affect their job performance but sexuality is most definitely not one. A few teachers from the high school I attended were openly gay including one the guidance counselors but their sexuality never affected their work performance and they never pushed their believes or ideas on any of the students. It seems to me that the school is causing more of an ordeal by making teachers sign the paper than the sexuality of some teachers was causing. I feel that this "Personal Lifestyle Statement" will only result in a large conflict and the loss of many great teachers and possibly students who feel strongly against it.
There is no good arguement that this university has the right to put these new set in rules
to force the staff to pledge against "homosexuality, adultery, and premarital sex." This whole idea just seems to be trying to take away the staffs own personal beliefs and to ensure that by putting it in writing. I understand that the university is seeking to uphold their morality, integrity and overall image because they are a christian school, but to me in certain ways i think it may be going against the United states constitution.
How is it that this University is being singled out to no longer be allowed freedom of speech? Envasion of personal privacy is all that comes to mind that this pledge will establish and there is no good that could come from this. A staff members personal life has nothing to do with their ability to be a sucessful teacher and should never be brought into the school in any way what so ever. The university must not agree because their making it their mission to bring it in the schools by forcing this pledge.
I understand where the school is coming from being a Christian school, but I still fill it has problems. The biggest issue I have with this is the fact that the professors were already hired and teaching and all of a sudden this is brought up on them. Leadership starts at the top down, but not by making them all commit to signing a piece of paper that makes them live the way a board or committee want them to live. They should have stricter guidelines rather than most universities but not to this extreme.
I understand where the university is coming from. Who doesn't want to protect their name and integrity? But more and more, homosexuality is becoming more common. Adults are adults, and they are going to do what they want to do. Signing a pledge may or may not inhibit them from doing so. I think the anonymous professor provides some excellent points. What if a student fails a test? They could march right up to the President or maybe local newspaper and say that the professor drinks in class or made an inappropriate pass at them. Yes, these students are "adults", but as a college student, I know how mean they can be.
I also agree with what the student, Tamara King Henderson, said. It could very well keep the university from attracting future professors.
I can see both sides of this argument. As a Christian, I see that we hold certain views and that we want others to see us a certain way. However, on the other hand as a member of gay society, I don't believe we should have to hide who we are. Although times have changed and people have become more accepting in a lot of ways, we are still frowned upon for our lifestyle. I know from a personal basis, I cannot be myself around my family because my grandparents would never accept this part of me, seeing as how my grandfather is a baptist pastor, but how long do we need to continue to be oppressed by such things. Does it effect our ability to function in society, or in this case teach children? I think not.
I this this is crazy! Not only are the other post right about this causing extra stress on the educators, prevent the school from getting great educators just because they don't have the exact lifestyle the school desires, but at the same time how can the school even keep up with all their professors to make sure they are abiding this silly thing. A lot of the listed lifestyle aspects can very easily be done in private and no one would know. Also this doesn't seem legal to me, I don't see how they can fire someone for some of the listed items, I'm not a lawyer but this sounds like a future law suite to me.
After reading this article I also have an issue with the university basically forcing teachers to sign this pledge. I understand what they are trying to accomplish which is a better Christian atmosphere. However, it shouldn't be any of their business what a teacher does outside the classroom as long as they can educate their students effectively. I agree with the anonymous interview in the article that a huge problem with the pledge is that if someone doesn't like you then they can go up so a school official and say " I saw Dr._____ drinking last night," and possibly get them in trouble or fired. Overall, this is just a bad idea.
Shorter is a private institution. A requirement such as this integrity pledge is specifically why private institutions exist. A private, religious university may make any rules they wish. If a teacher doesn't agree with this new pledge, than they may resign. This may sound harsh, but Shorter is a university based on Christian values. This is not to say that homosexuality is un-Christian. The Episcopalian church has appointed gay bishops, but in Shorter's eyes homosexuality is un-Christian. Asking you teachers to follow your schools religious doctrine should not cause any outrage.
I understand that the University wants to uphold standards for itself since it is a Christian school, but I don’t feel as though it is right that have to sign a statement. I don’t understand if the school wants their employees to meet certain standard why are they already hired before receiving this statement? I feel as though teachers should already know to not drink and be wasted in front of their students. As a teacher you want your students to respect you and look up to you as a role model and if you are drinking and getting wasted in front of them then it make your students look at you in a different way. I also feel as though if a teacher is homosexual it is their business and shouldn’t be talked about with their students. It’s their personal life and as long as it stays out of the school there shouldn’t be a problem.
Wow.. I understand that some people may have their opinion about others whom are gay and don’t want them to expose there personal life style. But I disagree with this University’s rules for their employees. It maybe a Christian school that they work at. But it is no one’s right to tell someone else how to live their own lives. The employees must attend church, not drink publicly and not be gay ect. Really who is this person who thinks they can control others. These employees have to live in fear of exposure. It’s disgusting to think somebody like this exists. I believe this person should be the one who must lose their job instead.
This is unacceptable for a university to conduct a "Lifestyle Statement" for their employees. Especially when this document can "ban" a teacher or administrator on their lifestyle choices. Although it is a Christian university and they want to follow their religious beliefs, how can they fire and judge the employees that THEY hired? Not to get into too much detail, but according to the Christian belief, people should not judge each other and should let the judging up to the "big man." America is a free country and the people are free to practice what they want to practice, if it does not hurt anyone else.
I understand that as a christian university it is important to maintain high morals and integrity, but it is almost contradictory to demand the faculty to sign an agreement such as this. Christianity is based on acceptance and forgiveness from sin...EVERY sin. It is unfair to pinpoint certain immoral and socially "unacceptable" acts (sins) to be more wrong than any other sin. I feel that everyone is entitled to their personal decisions about their lives and this university seems to be taking that away from its faculty. Because of this, many faculty as well as students will be drawn away from the university. Diversity is a huge part of our society. Creating barriers at the university is only hindering the overall well-being of people and the interactions they will have with a diverse group of people throughout their lives.
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