Peoria, Ill., Jul 16, 2010 / 14:25 pm
The Diocese of Peoria has scheduled a meeting with officials from the University of Illinois to discuss the termination of adjunct professor Dr. Kenneth Howell. The diocese said it did not respond to the termination sooner because it wanted to first meet with university officials.
Howell was fired from the University of Illinois after an anonymous student complained that his statements about homosexuality amounted to “hate speech.” The statements were made within the context of an Introduction to Catholicism class this spring.
The professor had taught at the university for nine years.
In his defense, Howell said he was simply explaining Catholic teaching on homosexual behavior. According to the Church, he said, homosexual behavior violates natural law and is immoral.