Support Religious Freedom at KU

We, the undersigned students and friends of the University of Kansas, feel that the University is responsible for creating an environment conducive to learning. Part of creating such an environment involves ensuring that students feel free to hold various religious beliefs without being patronized, made fun of, attacked, or looked down upon by the professors of the University. Another part of creating this environment involves ensuring that professors are sensitive to the beliefs of students and act in a professional manner towards them at all times. The Univeristy must be sure that its professors offer appropriate, academic, insightful classes that teach students to think critically about the subject matter, rather than classes that are designed specifically to prove a political point or to alienate a religious group.

The undersigned feel that this minimum standard of academic professionalism for a learning environment is not currently being upheld at the University of Kansas. Professor Paul Mirecki, the chairman of the religious studies department at the University, created a class entitled "Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and other Religious Mythologies." In explaining the class to the Society of Open Minded Atheists and Agnostics, a student group for which he is the faculty adviser, Mirecki explained, "The fundies (Christian fundamentalists) want it all taught in a science class, but this will be a
nice slap in their big fat face by teaching it as a religious studies
class under the category 'mythology.'"

In response to the controversy that Mirecki's remarks created, Mirecki issued an apology and the department dropped the words "and other Religious Mythologies" from the course title. However, these actions are insufficient to counter the damage done to his credibility, the credibility of the University, and the learning environment that the University must maintain to educate a diverse student body.

The salary of Professor Mirecki, Chancellor Hemenway, and all other employees of the University are paid by the students and by the taxpayers of the state of Kansas. The students and taxpayers make it possible for Mirecki to teach and research as he does, and basic standards of professionalism would dictate that Mirecki should have respect for the diverse student body at the University and for the taxpayers of Kansas, more than 80% of whom are Christian and might take offense to his apparent contempt for their religion.

Those who have defended the rights of professors to teach controversial material in irresponsible manners have cited "academic freedom" as their reasoning for doing so. While we understand that professors should have freedom to teach material in unique manners, we do not believe that academic freedom incompasses intolerant insults aimed at a major religious group on the University's campus. In addition, we believe that students should have the "academic freedom" to learn about a variety of topics from a variety of perspectives without being subjected to a professor that teaches his material with the stated purpose of slapping a religious group in the face.

Additionally, we believe that if Professor Mirecki had the stated goal of slapping Islamic fundamentalists, Buddhist fundamentalists, or even atheists in the face, that the professor would be terminated immediately. However, because the insulted group is Christian fundamentlists, with whom many University faculty members have assorted political differences, Mirecki's intolerance has been largely ignored by the administration.

We believe that the University needs to send a message to students, faculty and Kansas taxpayers that unprofessionalism and intolerance are unacceptable. The University should either cancel the class or find a different instructor who can treat it as a serious academic endeavor. In addition, we feel that disciplinary actions should be taken against Professor Mirecki. It is imperative that the University recognize the damage done to its credibility because of this controversy and spare no effort to rebuild it by showing that it takes the education of its students and the learning environment at the University very seriously.

The students and the state of Kansas deserve an apology, the class must be rethought and restructured, and Professor Mirecki must be disciplined. Anything less will show this University to be hostile to religious freedoms and incapable of fostering a serious academic environment.