University's diversity chief put on leave after signing anti-gay marriage petition

[markomalley]

From NBC News:
The chief diversity officer at Gallaudet University was put on administrative leave Wednesday after the school learned she had signed a petition supporting efforts to reverse Maryland’s same-sex marriage law, media reports say.

Dr. Angela McCaskill signed the petition at her church after her preacher spoke against gay marriage, the Planet DeafQueer blog reported on Monday, citing a Gallaudet faculty member who first spotted the administrator’s name on the document. Voters in Maryland will decide on Nov. 6 whether to keep a state law passed earlier this year approving same-sex marriage.

“I want to inform the community that I have placed Dr. Angela McCaskill on paid administrative leave effective immediately. It recently came to my attention that Dr. McCaskill has participated in a legislative initiative that some feel is inappropriate for an individual serving as Chief Diversity Officer; however, other individuals feel differently,” Gallaudet University President T. Alan Hurwitz said in a statement.

“I will use the extended time while she is on administrative leave to determine the appropriate next steps taking into consideration the duties of this position at the university. In the meantime an interim Chief Diversity Officer will be announced in the near future."

I like it…a person can get suspended (and probably canned) because she dared to, in her private life, express an opinion that violates left-wing orthodoxy. Please note: I do NOT use the word liberal, as there is NOTHING liberal about political correctness.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

She should have known that a “diversity chief” cannot have private views in conflict with the politically correct flavor of the day. Tsk, tsk.

 

[SouthCatholic]

She should have known that a “diversity chief” cannot have private views in conflict with the politically correct flavor of the day. Tsk, tsk.

It is not her private views that got her into trouble. It is her signing a PUBLIC petition that called into question to her ability to remain neutral toward LBGTQ students it is her job to serve.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

It is not her private views that got her into trouble. It is her signing a PUBLIC petition that called into question to her ability to remain neutral toward LBGTQ students it is her job to serve.

So she has to agree with all of the agenda? Promiscuity, for example?

She can absolutely serve them without being in support of gay so called marriage.

Put another way, if she was University Greek Chief, she couldn’t come out against excessive drinking?

I don’t understand why that community has to have its way on absolutely everything to prove that we are “tolerant”.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

It is not her private views that got her into trouble. It is her signing a PUBLIC petition that called into question to her ability to remain neutral toward LBGTQ students it is her job to serve.

She signed the petition as a private citizen, not “diversity chief”. I am 100% certain that a liberal “diversity chief” could have signed a public petition supporting gay marriage, abortion, contraception, gay military members, or other liberal ideals and kept her job. No has mentioned whether her record as “diversity chief” is otherwise commendable or not.

 

[Faithdancer]

I first misread this thread topic as “diversity chef,” and I was thinking of the person who would plan the fancy faculty only luncheons, perhaps catering to an international variety of food tastes. Well…

Anyway, Tampa Dave, got your back! And I would bet on her not being in trouble if she had signed a petition favoring homosexual “marriage.”

To support same sex marriage is a direct contradiction of Church teaching. Obstinate doubt or refusal to accept Church teaching is heresy, according to the CCC. Thankfully Pope Benedict’s appointments to the archbishoprics on the West Coast are flexing their orthodox muscles and standing up to those lukewarm and renegade “Catholics” who are deluded or obstinate and who continue to support same sex “marriage.”

 

[katy]

LOTS of “diversity” there at Gallaudet!

 

[DWGarvin]

It is not her private views that got her into trouble. It is her signing a PUBLIC petition that called into question to her ability to remain neutral toward LBGTQ students it is her job to serve.

No. This is about her expressing a (diverse) opinion.

 

[JimG]

Apparently diversity officers can not express opinions which are just TOO diverse! Can’t stray from the agenda. Maybe the position should just be called the LGBT Advancement Officer.

 

[Just_Lurking]

Is this any different than a Catholic school firing a teacher because she signed a pro-gay marriage petition?

 

[jediliz]

Is this any different than a Catholic school firing a teacher because she signed a pro-gay marriage petition?

A Catholic school teacher should NOT be signing anything contrary to the place of employment if they are also Catholic.

It is NOT the same thing.

 

[AnastasiaRomano]

A Catholic school teacher should NOT be signing anything contrary to the place of employment if they are also Catholic.

It is NOT the same thing.

Not exactly the same thing, but Gallaudet is a private university and as such has the ability to set conditions on employment there, just as a private Catholic school or university has the ability to set conditions on employment…

I don’t think Gallaudet’s decision was right (it certainly doesn’t value diversity of opinion), but I think they have a right to determine the conditions of working at Gallaudet.

 

[buffalo]

Diversity Chief - aka, the make sure anything goes guy.

 

[SamH]

A Catholic school teacher should NOT be signing anything contrary to the place of employment if they are also Catholic.

It is NOT the same thing.

Contrary to the place of their employment? Supporting duly passed and recognized laws is contrary to their place of employment? Sounds like a case if she worked for the mafia.

 

[mtbender]

Is this any different than a Catholic school firing a teacher because she signed a pro-gay marriage petition?

Big difference. One is legal, the other questionable…

The Ministerial Exception from the ADA:

(1) In general

This subchapter shall not prohibit a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society from giving preference in employment to individuals of a particular religion to perform work connected with the carrying on by such corporation, association, educational institution, or society of its activities.

(2) Religious tenets requirement

Under this subchapter, a religious organization may require that all applicants and employees conform to the religious tenets of such organization.

Typically teachers for religious institutions sign an agreement… never heard of such an agreement in a secular school - private or public…

 

[mtbender]

Gallaudet spokeswoman Catherine Murphy told Buzzfeed that the university did not have “a policy against political participation.” When asked about the nature of the petition and if the university had any policy regarding such political participation, Murphy told NBC News in an email: “For the moment we are sticking with this (Hurwitz) statement. Please understand that in an administrative personnel matter we won’t be saying anything more until we get complete clarity on what took place.”

usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/10/14348322-universitys-diversity-chief-put-on-leave-after-signing-anti-gay-marriage-petition?lite

 

[fix]

From NBC News:
The chief diversity officer at Gallaudet University was put on administrative leave Wednesday after the school learned she had signed a petition supporting efforts to reverse Maryland’s same-sex marriage law, media reports say.

Dr. Angela McCaskill signed the petition at her church after her preacher spoke against gay marriage, the Planet DeafQueer blog reported on Monday, citing a Gallaudet faculty member who first spotted the administrator’s name on the document. Voters in Maryland will decide on Nov. 6 whether to keep a state law passed earlier this year approving same-sex marriage.

“I want to inform the community that I have placed Dr. Angela McCaskill on paid administrative leave effective immediately. It recently came to my attention that Dr. McCaskill has participated in a legislative initiative that some feel is inappropriate for an individual serving as Chief Diversity Officer; however, other individuals feel differently,” Gallaudet University President T. Alan Hurwitz said in a statement.

“I will use the extended time while she is on administrative leave to determine the appropriate next steps taking into consideration the duties of this position at the university. In the meantime an interim Chief Diversity Officer will be announced in the near future."

I like it…a person can get suspended (and probably canned) because she dared to, in her private life, express an opinion that violates left-wing orthodoxy. Please note: I do NOT use the word liberal, as there is NOTHING liberal about political correctness.

Chief Diversity Officer? That these silly positions exist is absurd. That one can hold such a title and get in trouble for being diverse makes irony redundant.

 

[fix]

It is not her private views that got her into trouble. It is her signing a PUBLIC petition that called into question to her ability to remain neutral toward LBGTQ students it is her job to serve.

By neutral you mean support regardless of opposing “diverse” views?

 

[fix]

Is this any different than a Catholic school firing a teacher because she signed a pro-gay marriage petition?

Yes.

 

[fix]

Apparently diversity officers can not express opinions which are just TOO diverse! Can’t stray from the agenda. Maybe the position should just be called the LGBT Advancement Officer.

She can believe, support, and endorse anything she wants as long as it is exactly as she is told to do. Get it?