Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Missouri State reaches agreement with Christian student

Missouri State University officials acted quickly to settle the lawsuit filed by former student Emily Brooker, who alleged Professor Frank Kauffman tried to force her and other students in a social work class to write letters to the Missouri General Assembly favoring gay adoption, something which went against Miss Brooker's Christian beliefs.
The Springfield News-Leader reports part of the agreement removes Kauffman from the classroom during the remainder of the fall semester:

According to the terms of the settlement, Missouri State agrees to:

• Clear Brooker's official record of the Social Work Level 3 review referenced in the complaint.

• Pay Brooker an amount of $9,000 and she will be responsible for her own legal fees.

• Waive academic fees at Missouri State University, or in lieu thereof, reimburse an amount equal to two years of degree work toward a Master of Social Work degree (or a graduate degree of equivalent length) at any public institution in the state, which is estimated at approximately $12,000, plus Brooker will receive $3,000 per year in living expense for two years of graduate education.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope she doesn't think that's it works that way in a real life workplace. Because it doesn't.

Anonymous said...

Two fanatics, one on each side, and the public has to pick up the bill for this "Kentucky windage" contest.

Anonymous said...

re: Two fanatics

I assume you mean Kaufman is one of them. If so, please tell us how you know this. I'm uninterested in stereotypes. I'm very interested in facts.

Anonymous said...

Kauffman could have backed off the same way the girl could have backed off. That makes them both fanatics in my book. One Professor pushing and agenda and one Student pushing another.

Anonymous said...

As she appears to be a devout christian, I'm sure that she has tithed all her winnings to her church and is using none of it for personal gain.

Anonymous said...

In my opinion it really isn't just her being a good Christian and being raised in a Christian school. IF it had been an atheist (which by the way I am not!) in that students place and the person was being forced to write something to the same effect that only Christians make fine adoptive homes it would be the same thing! IF there is something a professor/instructor is trying to make you participate in that you strongly believe is wrong,like this writing campaign, then I say stand up for what you believe and take it to the highest power if you have to. Our education is paid for by us (lots of us anyway) and we should not be forced to compromise our beliefs for someone else's in power!

Anonymous said...

I agree that she should have been able to stand up for what she believes in. The settlement is what I have a problem with. She should have had the grades stricken, and gotten her money back for those classes BUT that should be it. Why are TAX DOLLARS being spent for her to complete her degree?

Anonymous said...

I am just glad she had the guts to stand up for what she thought was right.

Unknown said...

Randy,
Any thoughts on the why it was settled so quickly? I expected it go on for quite a while longer.

Anonymous said...

It settled because all she wanted was a free ride in the first place. When you look at it, the school lost very little cash in the deal. If she thought she had a real winning case, she'd have never of settled.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous:
Sometimes just having your grade stricken isn't enough.
Sometimes the professors/instructors are jerks on a power trip just like some bosses in some jobs.

Randy O.:
I don't think she was looking for a free ride as you say, but that is strictly my opinion. Maybe she settled it so quickly because she didn't want it to cost anyone any more than it did. I believe she would have won her case further, and much bigger if she had decided to pursue it. By her not pursuing it further it shows me that she is there for the degree and not the dramatics.
Respect goes both ways....we pay for our education and we pay the professors/instructors to do the right thing by us.

By the way I wouldn't suggest taking Spanish under the knothead at MSSU!