Congressman Wants Biased UNC Prof Fired
by Jim Brown
September 29, 2004
(AgapePress) - An investigation by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has found a University of North Carolina professor guilty of violating the civil rights of a Christian student who voiced biblical opposition to homosexuality.
A "white, heterosexual Christian male" of privilege who makes "heterosexist comments" and engages in "hate speech" -- that's how UNC-Chapel Hill English professor Elyse Crystall described student Tim Mertes in an e-mail she sent to her entire class. But the DOE's Civil Rights Division found that the e-mail message not only subjected the conservative student to "intentional discrimination and harassment" but also discouraged free speech.
North Carolina's Congressman Walter Jones called for the federal DOE investigation several months ago, after UNC ignored his request to look into the matter. He regards the Civil Rights Division's finding as a win, he says, "not for me but for students around this country who have strong religious faith and, in this case, a Christian student. I think this is a victory for them. I really do."
Jones feels the college's administration has not adequately addressed the matter of disciplining Professor Crystall for her actions. "We're going to write the chancellor at the University of North Carolina," he says, "and we're going to ask that they review the teacher's status and take appropriate action."
In the congressman's mind, that suggests termination. He asks, "How can you have the Federal Department of Education write you a letter that says a teacher harassed and discriminated against a student [and not take action to remove the offender]? Why should that professor be there?"
This is not the first time the University of North Carolina has come under fire for alleged incidents of liberal and anti-Christian bias on its campus. The school recently kicked a Christian fraternity off campus over its refusal to allow non-Christian members; and earlier this year, UNC-Wilmington professor and conservative columnist Mike Adams exposed a plan to limit the number of Christian groups on his own campus.
