College employees must agree to no premarital or gay sex. No drinking where students might see them.
Shorter University employees must sign a Personal Statement agreeing to no premarital or gay sex or public drinking where students may see them. (Shorter College photo)
The AJC has been hearing from folks about Shorter University’s decision to require employees to sign a “Personal Lifestyle Statement” forbidding premarital sex, adultery and homosexual sex.
The Personal Statement also requires that employees be active members of a local church. And the employees must agree to not drink in public places where students may see them, including restaurants, concerts and sports events. Nor can they attend a Shorter function if they consumed alcohol six hours prior to the event.
As strict as these rules may be, the private Baptist college has a right to do impose them. I talked to AJC higher ed writer Laura Diamond who told me that a law professor who is an expert on religion explained that the policy is legal in Georgia and many other states.
(The school has had a policy since 2008 to hire Christians only who adhere to strict interpretations of the Bible.)
The policy does not impact students’ ability to get federal loans because the college serves as pass-through and the money belongs to the students not the college.
Its mission statements says: Shorter University is a Christ-centered liberal arts university dedicated to academic excellence within the context of a biblical worldview. As a Christian university, Shorter is committed to keeping an emphasis upon a biblically sound, integrated, faith-based education that promotes a zeal for academic, spiritual, and professional growth.
But not all alums of the college are happy with the new policy and are rising up in protest. There is now a petition to stop the policy.
Among the more than 1,331 alums who have signed the petition is one who wrote: “Both my wife and I are graduates from Shorter (2001). There was a time that I was proud to be a Shorter graduate. I definitely feel that I received a quality education. At the moment, I am embarrassed, and I am seriously considering mailing back my diploma.”
According to the AJC story on this issue:
Don Dowless, president of the Christian university in Rome, said anyone not signing the statement, which also requires staffers to reject premarital sex and adultery, faces termination.
“I think that anybody who adheres to a lifestyle that is outside of what the biblical mandate is and of what the board has passed, including the president, would not be allowed to continue here,” Dowless told Channel 2 Action News.
One person described as a longtime employee told GA Voice, a publication covering issues affecting the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, that the new policy has some staffers fearful that a disgruntled co-worker could accuse another as being gay out of spite.
A student who didn’t want to be identified told Channel 2 that the university is judging others, contrary to what the Bible teaches.
New employees will have to sign the statement and existing employees will have to sign it to renew their contracts.
“Failure to adhere to this statement may result in disciplinary action against me, up to and including immediate termination,” the statement says.
Students, however, are not required to sign the policy.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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172 comments Add your comment
Reality Check
October 31st, 2011
4:20 pm
@Just a Teacher and catlady,
Both of you seem very concerned about Pell Grants being used at Shorter. Does this apply to all priviate colleges and universities that are affiliated with a church or religion? As long as the school is accredited, it might seem that students who wish to attend a religiously affiliated school were being discriminated against if they cannot use Pell Grant money but students who choose to go to a public university could. Schools with religious affiliation are listed on this webpage: http://www.campuscorner.com/religious-affiliations.htm
Public support for Pell Grants might fall if all these schools were not eligible. I could probably argue either way, but you might be cutting off your nose to spite your face. This is actually a legitimate issue raised by this article and worthy of discussion.
jimmie
October 31st, 2011
6:35 pm
This is he real Jimmie..not a cheap, stupid imitation…I’m calling on vaccinations for the next AIDs epidemic..oh , whopps, snaaapp there aren’t any. Just another risk of living with gays..I vote no to homosexuality.
GreatATLGuy
October 31st, 2011
6:55 pm
A modern-day witch hunt…. just like Salem and “The Crucible” and the communist trials of the 50s – the next step is requiring the John Proctors of the campus to not only sign their confessions, but nail them to the front door. It is almost shocking to know this kind of prejudice exists in 2011, which opens the door to bullying and gay-bashing. Shame on Shorter, you have missed the mark. This will be a case study in bigotry soon.
James Tonney
October 31st, 2011
6:57 pm
Bashing Christians seems fun. Their judgmental and haters… so your told…..
This is very simple. The lifestyle of employees of a Christian organization should reflect the values of Christ. Being a Christian doesn’t mean you are perfect, it means you know what your striving to be.
Choosing not to sign the schools pledge means you choose to live your life by your religious /non-religious definition. Which is perfectly fine, except if you want to be an employee representing a Christian school.
Higher Educator
October 31st, 2011
7:44 pm
As a college professor, I feel for the faculty and staff going through this. Administrations come and go, but faculty and staff can spend careers at a school, and when administrations do things like this, that embarrass the school and fix nothing, it is very frustrating – like the contract you signed has been changed after-the-fact.
I also feel for the students and alumni. Your degrees (earned or to-be-earned) have been cheapened. The name Shorter next to a degree might now be worth more to a select few, but to most people who you will want to impress for a job or a position in graduate school, you are now at a greater disadvantage. It looks bad to those of us who don’t care one bit whether you’re religious or not. Fair or not, that’s the case. I’m sorry for those of you proud of your school and your degree that your administration would associative your school not with learning but with childish forms of behavioral control.
jimmie
October 31st, 2011
10:51 pm
@higher educator; your viewpoint is exactly the reason we need new higher educators..you’re the controller now, shorter trying to put appropriate moral, christians back at the helm…go shorter!
Truth in Moderation
October 31st, 2011
11:29 pm
@ just
I think you mean King James TRANSLATION. LOL!
The Old Testament, to which you refer, is the history of Israel. Therefore, your comments are ANTISEMITIC. All ancient peoples made use of slaves, otherwise, they would have had to kill all that they conquered. These became the low-cost workforce. All nations depend on cheap or slave labor. The U.S. may have ended slavery in the South, but since Nixon, rushed to make a deal with Mao and used the Chinese slave labor force for our cheap goods and services. We just moved our slavery offshore. The Christians in the New Testament who owned slaves before their conversion, were called on to treat them as a brother in Christ. They weren’t necessarily required to set them free, as far as the government was concerned. At that time, a slave treated as a son to the master, may have enjoyed more protection and prosperity than if he were turned out on the street. In the New Testament, freedom is attained spiritually, through the repentance of sin. This freedom transcends our physical state and is eternal in nature. Currently, every U.S. citizen is a debt slave to our creditors, the FED, China, and others. Our creditors now dictate economic policy. As for stoning, this too was a law for the nation Israel. It was capitol punishment, with a twist. Instead of using hanging, the electric chair, or lethal injection, the victims of the wrongdoers were part of implementing the capitol punishment law. If they were willing to accuse a fellow citizen of a horrific crime, and could prove it, then they would cast the first stone to implement the death penalty. If a victim found this distasteful, or wasn’t absolutely sure of the other’s guilt, then they could drop their charges. When the Israelites were wandering through the desert, prison was not an option. Crime and punishments were codified in the Law. In Jesus’ day, the religious leaders tried to get him to judge the woman caught in adultery, a sin punishable by stoning. Jesus knew of her sin and evidently of the religious leaders involved as well. The woman was genuinely repentant And Jesus saved her from stoning by challenging her accusers to cast the first stone IF they were innocent in the matter. They chose not to implement the legal proceedings of stoning. Jesus demonstrated that forgiveness and repentance triumphs over judgement.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites were given various laws regarding “clean” and “unclean” food. Unclean animals were “bottom feeders” on the food chain. This diet seemed to contribute to their health and success as a nation. Later, during Roman times, the Church, through the Apostle Peter, were freed from food laws, and declared all food fit to eat, if it was done in thanksgiving to God. This was done in conjunction with the Jewish church now being opened up to converted goyim. This challenged traditional Israelis to the core.
You are quite right that Jesus drank wine. His first miracle was to turn water into GOOD wine at a wedding celebration. Jesus claimed that his coming was an event to be celebrated (forgiveness of sin) and so he celebrated with wine at feasts. Wine was also used in the traditional Israeli passover supper. Wine was used regularly by Israelites for feasts and wedding celebrations. Some, however, such as John the Baptist, took a special vow not to drink wine or cut their hair. The New Testament calls on church leaders not to be dissipated with wine, or to be know as a drunkard. This is what many Baptist denominations hone in on. The Old Testament records the trouble created when Noah got drunk with wine. Christians are free to drink wine, but they may chose to abstain for religious reasons.
@mum
26If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:26-27
Ole Guy
October 31st, 2011
11:54 pm
Many good folks here seem to head straight down the “Yea God” tangent and completely miss the point: Pretend, for a moment, that you are applying for a job as, say…an electrical engineer, or a machine operator, or any skill which requires some sort of qualification. You are well-qualified…in fact, you are highly qualified…the best among the competition. The hiring authority then asks “do you believe in such an’such (such an ’such having absolutely nothing to do with the job)”?
There are those who seem to support the notion that the school has the “right” to establish its own requirements…I am not too sure if this concept would pass EEOC muster.
This arguement has not one damn thing to do with morality, sexual preferences/behavior, or the “freedom” an employer has in establishing a code of conduct while not on the clock. It’s all about foisting beliefs and mores upon a captive audience,
Truth in Moderation
November 1st, 2011
12:02 am
@mum
If you are truly interested in slavery, please watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myqffx8Mdg4&feature=related
Truth in Moderation
November 1st, 2011
12:14 am
@Ole Guy
They are not a captive audience. It is a private school. Anyone teaching there already had a clue that they would be working for Baptists, teaching their doctrines. Life’s full of tough choices. Why do these supposed anti-Christ teachers have to depend on the donations of Christians to have a job? Can’t their god/non-god take care of them? Why would they want to teach there anyway? Are any of the current teachers there complaining? Filing lawsuits?
Progressive Humanist
November 1st, 2011
7:42 am
Moderation @ 11:29,
That’s one of the most disgusting examples of obfuscation and rationalization I’ve ever seen. I can hardly believe that you just tried to argue that slavery was actually good for the slave and that we still have “slaves” today in order to justify your immoral text. And then you try to argue that it was right for your “just god” to condone stoning. Truly nauseating.
It’s not only that the bible orders stoning; it’s that it orders it to be done to your children for worshiping another god or to your neighbor for working on Sunday.
It’s sickening when the right begins to argue for cultural relativism to justify the immoral teachings in the bible while at the same time arguing those teachings are the infallible word of god.
Progressive Humanist
November 1st, 2011
7:51 am
As a private institution (I hesitate to even call it a college) Shorter has the right to ask its employees to adhere to whatever Medieval moral code they wish, as long as it’s not criminal, I suppose. But as a professor at a state university it’s also my right and obligation to examine the credentials of candidates applying for graduate school and scholars applying for jobs as professors. I can say with certainty that having Shorter on a vita will not help candidates make the cut on any committee I am on (or most of the professors I work with) because Shorter has no objective credibility as a place of higher learning. Their focus is on getting students and staff to follow their moral code, not on providing a quality education, and I have to take that into account when I see Shorter on application material.
Ole Guy
November 1st, 2011
8:27 am
Moderation, these people ARE indeed a captive audience…captive in that their jobs/their very livelihoods are dependent on their adopting social preferences which have absolutely nothing to do with the job. Supporters insist on tieing their beliefs to the religious/moral components which have absolutely no bearing on job performance. If one is hired to teach, say, chemistry or even a religious topic, what possible negative connection could there be to the teacher enjoying a few brewskis at the local watering hole? If religious doctrine forbids the consumption of alcohol, the teacher of religious doctrine may or may not be in agreement. He simply dispenses the doctrine for others to make informed life choices. If certain cultures toss rattlesnakes at eachother, the teacher of that culture may or may not believe in such behavior. His job, as a teacher, is simply to teach students the varying beliefs within a society and allow the student to make appropriate choices. If this particular activity is not in keeping with the personal, nor doctrinal beliefs of school administration, so be it. To simply foist personal/doctrinal values upon others as a condition of employment is nothing short of wrong and probably does not sit well with EEOC. As for the other stuff…sex outside of marriage, etc…once again, a strictly personal matter. Too much blood, over the years, has been shed for the sole purpose of ensuring that we may lead our lives as we see fit. While the lifestyle choices of some may not be in accord with the preferences of others, this is simply the byproduct of living within a society. We have laws which are intended to, not mitigate personal preferences, but prevent those preferences from interfering with the society at large.
Clay
November 1st, 2011
10:17 am
Do not feed the trolls!
V for Vendetta
November 1st, 2011
12:06 pm
I like how Truth emphasized that it was “good” wine that Jesus created. That’s hilarious! Was their documentation of the vintage and the year? Or was it just assumed because he was Jesus.
Of all the idiotic things you said, Truth, that might be the best one! Thanks for a laugh!
ellen
November 1st, 2011
12:08 pm
When are single threaded ‘Christians’ going to wake up? Following a strict interpretation of the bible is impossible with all the contradictions that are in it. (Maybe that’s why they’re batsh**t crazy!)
États-Unis: La direction d’une université chrétienne fait la chasse aux homos parmi ses employé-e-s | Yagg
November 1st, 2011
2:07 pm
[...] la professeure de droit en personne qui s’est chargée de la rédaction, rapporte l’Atlanta Journal Constitution. Du côté des anciens élèves, c’est la consternation qui domine. Plus d’un millier [...]
Reality Check
November 1st, 2011
3:27 pm
@ Ole Guy “Too much blood, over the years, has been shed for the sole purpose of ensuring that we may lead our lives as we see fit.”
I totally agree with you and support your and everyone’s right to work in an environment where you are comfortable. No one is being forced to work for Shorter. I also support Shorter’s right to set the code of ethics for their teachers. Everyone is free to “lead their lives as they see fit.” If you believe this, then leave Shorter alone. Liee and let live.
Reality Check
November 1st, 2011
3:27 pm
Live and let live.
A Christ-Centered College Moves to Preserve Its Identity: Why the Fuss? |
November 2nd, 2011
4:24 pm
[...] certain media and other observers are simply shocked that Shorter took these steps. What to make of this? To be sure, a growing [...]
A Christ-Centered College Moves to Preserve Its Identity: Why the Fuss? |
November 2nd, 2011
4:24 pm
[...] certain media and other observers are simply shocked that Shorter took these steps. What to make of this? To be sure, a growing [...]
Alex
November 3rd, 2011
1:32 pm
Most the people that defend religion so vehemently are the same that when asked about paying a penny more to help the poor would shoot you if they could. Hypocritical behavior is so common in this country. I sometimes wonder if we read different bibles ..