U-Ill. & Free Speech

An adjunct professor at the University of Illinois, Ken Howell, has been fired for explaining in an e-mail that homosexuality violates Catholic natural law teachings. Commenting is Catholic League president Bill Donohue:

The University of Illinois should be sued, and we will work with professor Ken Howell in seeing to it that it is. He was fired for his religious viewpoint, an unacceptable reason that will not stand up in court.

Codes of academic freedom were written expressly to combat abuses like this, and that is why this case must be taken very seriously. It is not up to faculty chairs or deans to sit in judgment on the moral propriety of any religious orientation. Moreover, viewpoint discrimination is not tolerable, especially in higher education. Looks like the University of Illinois has gotten itself into a jam.

Jeff Field is the Director of Communications for the Catholic League. This press release was originally issued on July 12, 2010.