Christian College Fires Transgendered Professor
The college, located in Michigan, is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church and has about 1400 students currently enrolled. "Jesus Christ as the perspective for learning" is the concept promoted on their website.
Ms. Nemecek, an ordained Baptist minister and Evangelical Christian, announced her intention to transition from John to Julie in December 2005. She has worked for Spring Arbor University for 16 years and at the time of her announcement, she was Associate Dean of Adult Studies.
Spring Arbor University President Gayle Beebe called Ms. Nemecek into a meeting. Also in attendance was Dean Natalie Gianetti and Nemecek's wife Joanne, to whom she has been married for 35 years. Joanne is studying to counsel transgendered individuals and she fully supports her husband.
The meeting didn't go as well as the Nemeceks had hoped. In an attempt to protect their image and accommodate their employee, Spring Arbor University restricted Julie Nemecek to teaching online classes and cut her salary 20 percent. The college banned her from graduation ceremonies and from representing the college while dressed as a woman.
The university watched Ms. Nemecek closely. After appearing in public wearing a Spring Arbor College t-shirt along with makeup and earrings, she was notified that her contract will not be renewed when it expires in May.
Spring Arbor University works hard to maintain its reputation. Divorce, drunkenness, and other behaviors considered sinful by the church is forbidden. Upon being hired, employees sign an agreement stating that such behavior can result in termination of employment.
Julie Marie Nemecek is fighting her dismissal. Her attorney, Randi Barnabee, has filed a discrimination claim with the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Detroit. She is seeking unspecified damages and a reinstatement to her former position.
Julie Marie Nemecek is not alone in her fight. Staff and students who support Ms. Nemecek want to know how gender identity violates biblical principles.
On Monday, February 12, the Spring Arbor Gay Straight Alliance held a rally to support Ms. Nemecek and to educate the community about transgender issues. The rally was a day long event during which they showed "Transgeneration," a film documenting the lives of four transgendered individuals.
Students gathered on campus sidewalks. They carried signs that asked: "What would Jesus do?"
Julie, dressed as a woman, told them, "There is no sin in living in joyful celebration for how God has made you."
While the students marched, supporters of the university gathered at the Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church to pray for the community.
The college claims the right to fire Ms. Nemecek based a Bona Fied Occupational Qualification, which allows them to hire only Christian employees.
In response, Barnabee states that Spring Arbor admits students of every faith and that not all their employees are Christian. The university also receives government funds that prevent them from discriminating based on gender.
Mediation on the complaint is scheduled for March. Nemecek plans to file a federal lawsuit if the mediation fails.
SOURCES:
"University Firing Transgender Prof", Jackson Citizen Patriot, February 4, 2007
URL: http://www.mlive.com/news/jacitpat/index.ssf?/base/news-20/1170587131125380.xml&coll=3&thispage=1
"Gender Change Costs Dean a Job", Inside Higher Ed, February 6, 2007
URL: http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/02/06/springarbor
"Rally Backs Transgender Prof", Jackson Citizen Patriot, February 13, 2007
URL: http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-20/1171384646174100.xml?jacitpat?NEJ&coll=3&thispage=1
Published by Roselyn James
Roselyn James has been actively pursuing a writing career for five years. Her fiction, essays, and articles have appeared in various journals and online publications. She can be reached at roselynrjames@gmai... View profile
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13 Comments
Post a CommentThis is quite an interesting article and I feel myself leaning both ways on it. In one aspect the school had a right to dismiss her, based on the form she was required to sign when she was hired, but at the same time, this is blatant discrimination and shouldn't be allowed. What an intriguing case! http://www.tegrity.com
Drew, thank you. You've been a great help.
Hi Heather! I wouldn't discount the work older generations have done. Without them, races would still be segregated and women wouldn't have any rights. That said, I do agree that each generation is more open minded in general than those that came before and that makes the future worth looking forward to.
Rob- the way GLBTQ students are treated by other students and staff varies greatly. There is NO set-in-stone policy for how SAU handles its queer students, it is very gray and for many students very scary. Most queer students at SAU feel the need to keep that part of themselves secret for fear of some form of unknown punishment from the school and in fear of negative reactions of their classmates. This is obviously a very unhealthy way for these students to be forced to express themselves and we are working to make things more open and I have been asking the school to make policies more transparent. Queer students ARE discriminated against at SAU, because they cannot date as all "straight" students can. They are expected to have "no relationships other than friendships". There is a lot more I could say as I have been wrestling with the administration on these issues for just over a year now, and would love to answer specific questions if you have any.
Anyone that has questions
Rob, you and your nephew can contact the Spring Arbor Gay Straight Alliance at springarborgsa@gmail.com. Drew Hinkle is the person I spoke to there. They'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Hi Rob. I'm working on getting that information for you.
Dr. Weiss, thank you for the information. I'll check it out.
Can anyone tell me the way students are treated on campus by the students and staff? I have a gay nephew that will be attending in the fall, and I am worried about his well being. He is a great kid and I am his only gay uncle.
Thank you for the feedback, Drew and Dr. Weiss! I'll definitely be checking out the blog and keeping updated on how these issues play out.
Drew, thank you so much for stopping by and answering that question. :)