U of I Religion Professor Is Dismissed For Views On Catholicism

The head of a national academic group says a terminated University of Illinois professor was well within his rights to express opinions on Catholicism, and should lobby to get his job back.

After adjunct Professor Kenneth Howell stated that homosexual acts are immoral, a student complained to the head of the U of I's Department of Religion that the professor was engaging in hate speech. Howell claims the dismissal violates his academic freedom. U of I English Professor Cary Nelson is President of the American Association of University Professors. He says while many faculty members choose to remain neutral on various issues, they can also state their positions, and invite their students to argue on those points.

"I always tell students where I stand, and then I say 'please disagree with me - give me a hard time." says Nelson. "Let's get a debate going. You do a good job on the debate, you get extra credit. I want you to dispute me, not just settle for my beliefs." Nelson also says Howell has earned the right to request a hearing before faculty in the Department of Religion. Nelson says if it's proven before an elected committee that Howell was let go because of his opinion, he should be allowed to get his job back.

But Nelson says the professor can also appeal before the AAUP. He says the organization sees more cases like Howell's each day, in which a non-tenured faculty member is dismissed because of a complaint from a student or parent. "He's apparently taught nine years.on contracts like this," (a year-by-year hire.) "They're often let go without any kind of full, professional, evaluation. Basically some administrator decides 'well, it's not worth the trouble, he or she is controversial, we'll just cut them loose. But that damages everyone's academic freedom."

Howell doesn't have a local phone listing. His comments in e-mails were obtained by the News-Gazette. The head of the U of I's Religion Department, Robert McKim, also couldn't be reached for comment. University spokeswoman Robin Kaler declined comment since Howell's firing is a personnel issue.