Oklahoma Christian University Fires A Professor For Hosting A Gay Guest Speaker
On March 1, 2022, former professor Michael O’Keefe invited a guest speaker to his class at the Oklahoma Christian University (OCU) to talk about perseverance through personal hardships, reports Advocate. When school administrators discovered that the guest speaker was Scott Hale, an openly gay man, they chose to fire O’Keefe for gross misconduct.
MR O’KEEFE IS FILING A LAWSUIT
The class being taught by Michael O’Keefe was called Business of Branding Yourself and regularly featured guest speakers that would host discussions with students talking about how to build a brand around personal experiences.
According to KFOR, Scott Hale is an OCU alumnus and an adjunct professor who spoke to Mr O’Keefe’s senior graphic design class. Following the events of March 1, the university terminated Mr O’Keefe on March 7.
Now O’Keefe is suing the university. It is the contention of his attorneys that he was dismissed for inviting Scott Hale to speak to students as an openly gay man. When asked for comment by KFOR, OCU returned with a statement that says: “The decision to end employment was made after a thorough review process. The university will always put first the wellbeing of our students in every decision we make.”
Being a private institution, OCU retains the right to impose religious guidelines for students and faculty and these include a modest dress code and honouring the belief that marriage is between a man and a woman in the eyes of God.
By having Scott Hale speak to OCU students, the school would be likely to view Michael O’Keefe in breach of the codes of conduct they outline on their website. A quote from their site says, “We strive to treat our bodies with the honour due the temple of the Holy Spirit — honouring God’s plan that sexual relations be a part of a marriage between a man and a woman, dressing modestly and avoiding any self-destructive practices.”
In a statement from Mr O’Keefe’s lawyers it is claimed that after a 40-year-tenure, dismissal by OCU was performed in breach of Mr O’Keefe’s contract, which required a formal, thorough investigation and opportunity to address any findings. Furthermore, the lawsuit being brought forward by O’Keefe and Hale alleges libel claims as OCU reportedly released a statement claiming the guest speech used “inappropriate and graphic language of a sexual nature”, reports KFOR.
