Last week, Dr. Angela McCaskill, the African-American chief administrator in diversity and inclusion at Gallaudet University, was placed on administrative leave for signing an anti-gay marriage petition "in her church." She has retained an attorney to fight back her employment, and the following is from various press releases.
Fri, 12 Oct 2012 18:51 PDT
An administrator at Gallaudet University in Washington who was placed on leave for signing an anti-gay marriage petition has hired an attorney and will address the media next week.
Fri, 12 Oct 2012 04:57 AM PDT
Rev. Lee P. Washington, the pastor at Reid Temple in Prince George's County, has added his voice to the chorus of officials asking that a Gallaudet officer who signed the anti-same-sex marriage petition be reinstated.
Thu, 11 Oct 2012 22:38 PM PDT
Angela McCaskill is the first African American deaf woman to earn at PhD from Gallaudet University. She is also the recently appointed Chief Diversity Officer, a position she is in danger of losing because she signed a petition opposing gay marriage. McCaskill was put on paid leave after a fellow faculty member saw her signature [...]
Thu, 11 Oct 2012 19:56 PM PDT
O'Malley says Gallaudet administrator should be reinstated [...]
Thu, 11 Oct 2012 19:50 PM PDT
Leaders on both sides of the Maryland fight over same-sex marriage are urging Gallaudet University to reinstate an employee who was suspended because she signed a petition in favor of traditional marriage. Angela McCaskill, the D.C. university's associate provost of diversity and inclusion, was placed on paid administrative this week [...]
Thu, 11 Oct 2012 18:58 PM PDT
A storm of controversy is brewing in Maryland's same-sex marriage campaign. A college administrator has been placed on administrative leave for signing the petition to put same-sex marriage on the November ballot.
Thu, 11 Oct 2012 17:11 PM PDT
Gallaudet University is under fire for placing an official on paid leave after she signed a petition that gives Maryland voters a say on same-sex marriage.
Professor Carl's reaction:
Gallaudet University, the world's only institution of higher education for the Deaf in Washington, D.C., was created in 1864 by the federal government to fulfill a public purpose. Gallaudet must be a safe place to regulate itself through nutrition, exercises and rest of the minds of the Deaf. We the Deaf have the capacity to see human experience from the perspective of others who encounter and interpret our world in significantly different ways. Gallaudet University is a place which, to borrow from the 18th century French philosopher Julien Offray de la Mettrie, "winds its own springs." In the other words, our knowledge lies in our own language and culture, namely American Sign Language (ASL).
I do not support Dr. McCaskill's opposition of the same-sex marriage measurement. A French writer and critic, Voltaire--the pen name of Francois-Marie Arouet--points out that tolerance is "the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly - that is the first law of nature." After all, as a diversity and inclusion official, Dr. McCaskill must never impose her value or politics on other groups of people with definable and unique cultural backgrounds.
Gay marriage is not about promoting sex; it is about promoting monogamy. St. Augustine (AD 354 - 430) wrote in his Confessions, the most important book ever published: "For...if sex is a natural act, and nature, created by God, is good, then shouldn't sex be also?"
Dr. Angela McCaskill must move on! I know it is impossible to appreciate the impact of culture on the lives of others, particular gay people, if Dr. McCaskill is out of touch with her own cultural background. Cultural competence is an ethical skill that is reachable.
I have to say I hadn't heard of the issue but I am glad you brought it to our attention, and I feel that if she has signed something about anti-gays it is her opinion. Why does she have to be punished for her own beliefs? Would they do the same thing if she didn't vote for the right president? (By the way I LOVE your LEGO people!)
ReplyDeleteConflict of interest! Dr. McCaskill's job at Gallaudet University dealt with "diversity and inclusion", which meant that she remained totally impartial and unbiased when it came to signing the anti-gay marriage petition. Whether or not it is an opinion, this is a clear prejudice (and discrimination)--a negative, inaccurate, rigid, and unfair way of thinking about a specific group of people.
DeleteJust because she signed a petition does that mean that she doesn't stay impartial? I know that I believe in certain things but I know that others don't and I still listen to the other side even when I have my own opinion. Is there such a thing as being "Unbiased"?
DeletePolitics and gay rights aside. I didn't think she could lose her job based on signing a petition? Isn't it an issue that someone was looking at the names and said something about it? There should be protection for people if they want to have their say. These kinds of situations are why I don't usually vote
ReplyDeleteyou should always vote. I get told all the time that voting doesn't matter, but democracy is about voting and having your say. I also vote because of what women went though to get the right to vote.. Please vote, if for no other reason then the fact that you have the right to vote :)
DeleteI also agree with gay rights.. we are born who we are and love who we love... no one should judge, we don't have that right. Live and let live.
Deletepeople have the right to express thier own opinion. That what freedom is.
ReplyDeleteRead my reply to Jessica above.
DeleteAs much as I disagree with Dr. McCaskill's opposition of same-sex marriage, her job shouldn't be in jeopardy because of those beliefs. You would think that an African American deaf woman who has undoubtedly faced prejudice and discrimination would be more accepting of other minorities and support gay rights, but nonetheless she has the right to express her opinion, however oppressive and hypocritical it may be.
ReplyDeleteI thought we, as Americans, had the right to free speech and that included signing a petition that we believe in... sad really really sad.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna have to agree with Carl on this. Her job is to be unbiased and tolerant, allow for the spread of knowledge of culture--beliefs--etc. The type of message she is sending by not supporting, and even discouraging, a group of people is completely inconstant making her undesirable in this line of work. Part of employment is maintaining a desirable appearance. She is not maintaining an appearance that should be upheld in this line of work. On the matter of how someone found out that she signed the petition, I don't know about that--sounds kinda fishy to me. If she was my employee and I found out she signed this petition her job would go to someone that believes in the craft (diversity). Not because she signed it but because I know her heart isn't truly into diversity and inclusion.
ReplyDeleteThis is all very interesting. Reguardless of anything I don't think your workplace should be able to fire you for any personal decision you make. I do think people should be able to make their own choices, and we shouldn't have to vote for stuff like same sex marriage. But that doesn't mean someone should lose their job just because they have a different oppinion than me.
ReplyDelete