"No university should refuse promotion to an accomplished professor simply because it disagrees with his religious and political views."For background, read Mistrial of Christian Prof. Shunned by Iowa Univ. and also read University Suspends Christian for Defending Marriage as well as University Won't Hire Christians as Scientists
-- Jordan Lorence, Alliance Defending Freedom Vice President (Adams' counsel)
-- From "Professor's lawsuit against UNCW proceeding to trial" by Ashlea Kosikowski, WECT-TV6 (Wilmington, NC) 3/29/13
Adams, a criminal justice professor at the school, sued the university in 2007, after he said he was denied a promotion due to his conservative political and religious beliefs.
He has been teaching at the school since 1993.
The lawsuit claims the school violated his First Amendment rights by asking him to stop his work as a conservative columnist.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "A Huge Win for Academic Freedom" by David French, National Review Online 4/7/11
. . . The university denied Adams’s promotion to full professor despite the fact that he was an award-winning teacher (often receiving the highest marks in the department), had more scholarly publications than the vast majority of his colleagues and more publications than his current and previous department chair at equivalent stages in their careers (indeed, no one with a similar publication record had ever been rejected for promotion), and had rendered service to the university sufficient to win one of the university’s most-coveted service awards.
. . . [University] colleagues unleashed a torrent of bile (in writing) regarding the viewpoints in his columns while considering his promotion application. Additionally, the chancellor of the university herself had initiated a secret investigation of Adams for his alleged “transphobia.” When explaining the promotion denial to Adams, his department chair indicated that one reason for the denial was that his colleagues found his “service” had undefined “negative effects” on members of the department.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "University prof's Christian speech protected" by Bob Unruh, World Net Daily 3/28/13
The Alliance Defending Freedom says the 4th U.S. Court of Appeals has determined that his columns and writings outside of his work environment are protected speech, and he can argue that in court.
“Put simply, Adams’ speech was not tied to any more specific or direct employee duty than the general concept that professors will engage in writing, public appearances, and service within their respective fields. For all the reasons discussed above, that thin thread is insufficient to render Adams’ speech ‘pursuance to [his] official duties’ as intended by [precedents],” the court said.
“Applying [that precedent, Garcetti] to the academic work of a public university faculty member under the facts of this case could place beyond the reach of First Amendment protection many forms of public speech or service a professor engaged in during his employment. That would not appear to be what Garcetti intended, nor is it consistent with our long-standing recognition that no individual loses his ability to speak as a private citizen by virtue of public employment.”
. . . In the fall, a North Carolina jury will hear the evidence.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read the myriad cases of colleges and universities discriminating against Christian students.
