NEWSLINK: California Professor Fired Over Sexual Orientation Debate

The Bulletin – Philadelphia’s Family Newspaper – Professor Fired Over Sexual Orientation Debate

[3/2/08 – THE BULLETIN] – An adjunct professor at a California community college was delivered a pink slip after holding a discussion on the “nature versus nurture” debate concerning the root causes of homosexuality. San Jose/Evergreen Community College (SJCC) officials terminated June Sheldon after a single student complained the discussion held in Ms. Sheldon’s Human Heredity class had been “offensive and unscientific.”

“SJCC has violated its constitutional obligations and its own promises of academic freedom by summarily dismissing a professor for engaging in clearly protected classroom speech,” stated Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). FIRE is a civil rights organization that fights to preserve civil liberties on college campuses.

“A professor has every right to discuss controversial material that is germane to the subject matter of the class, and firing Prof. Sheldon for doing so is an egregious violation of her rights,” Mr. Lukianoff added.

Last summer, Ms. Sheldon led a brief discussion at SJCC concerning homosexuality among men and women, as well as the potential causes for such behavior. During the class, Ms. Sheldon noted the nature versus nurture debate was complex but argued, from the nurture standpoint, men seeking straight children should treat their wives in a courteous fashion. Ms. Sheldon also argued, from the nurture standpoint, lesbianism was the result of failed relationships with men.

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The Bulletin – Philadelphia’s Family Newspaper – Professor Fired Over Sexual Orientation Debate