The Baylor University student newspaper, The Lariat, published an editorial supporting equal protection under the law for gay marraige. The board sided with the city of San Francisco in its lawsuit to declare California state code that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman unconsititutional.
Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. wrote a statement declaring that the editorial "comes dangerously close to violating university policy, as published in the Student Handbook, prohibiting the advocacy of any understandings of sexuality that are contrary to biblical teaching."
President Sloan certainly has the right to denounce the views taken by the editorial board. After all, alumni, students and other administrators were probably incensed at the editorial board's stance. Baylor is the largest Baptist university in the country, after all.
But Sloan's statement reeks of hypocrisy when he writes:
"... while we [Baylor] respect the right of students to hold and express divergent viewpoints, we do not support the use of publications such as the Lariat, which is published by the University, to advocate positions that undermine foundational Christian principles upon which this institution was founded and currently operates."
Basically, Sloan supports students expressing their views so long as those views are not in the student newspaper. Sloan can't have it both ways. If Baylor truly supports student expression, they would not state what viewpoints are not allowed in the Lariat.
Baylor's religious identity plays a large role in its classrooms on its campus. But the role of religion should not supersede (or interfere with) the process of critical thinking, especially at an institution of higher learning.
The Baylor editorial board made a decision after reviewing the facts and taking all sides of the debate into account. Their opinion speaks for themselves, not the University.
Sloan, Baylor alumni and current students can disagree with the editorial board's stance.
But they should not seek to end the discussion.
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