Students at Christian schools across the country recently filed a class-action suit against the U.S. The calls for change at OC are not an anomaly. O'Keefe is considering filing an appeal over his firing with the university. Both men said they believe O'Keefe was fired because Hale is a gay man.
O'Keefe and Hale both denied this to ABC News, saying that the "exposing his genitals" anecdote was taken out of context, and the speaker was discussing an incident when he was 10 years old at a slumber party. In the letter, the university said the decision was not based on Hale's sexual orientation.
The memo continued, "Some of the speaker's remarks included telling the class about his history of exposing his genitals to others." However, in a memo to staff about O'Keefe's firing given to ABC News, the school stated: "The employment termination process was prompted by multiple complaints from eyewitnesses or others aware of the inappropriate and graphic language of a sexual nature, and stories shared in O'Keefe's class." Oklahoma Christian University declined ABC News' request for comment on O'Keefe's and Dulohery's allegations. O'Keefe told ABC News no students complained to him about the lecture and that he was fired less than a week after the speech. He gave a trigger warning before the talk and told students they could leave at any time if they felt uncomfortable, both Hale and O'Keefe said. Hale spoke about religious trauma and growing up as a gay man, according to O'Keefe, Hale and students. Michael O'Keefe, who was a tenured art professor at the university for about 40 years was fired after inviting a gay man, former OC professor and alumnus Scott Hale, to speak to his class in an annual speaker series. Other alleged instances at Oklahoma Christianĭulohery's complaint is not the only instance of alleged discrimination described by students, faculty and alumni interviewed by ABC News.Īt least one faculty member and one staff member say they have been fired or resigned for supporting the LGBTQ community in some fashion.
OC does not explicitly ban LGBTQ students from attending. "Churches of Christ would oppose a person's attempt to modify his or her birth sex and present as a sex other than his or her original birth sex, and we'll consider one who does so misguided and a disruptive presence," deSteiguer stated.