PETITION CLOSED

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Tell Marquette University: Stop Anti-Gay Discrimination in Hiring
  1. Signatures
    360 out of 500
    Petitioning
    1. President, Marquette University (+ 1 other)
      Petitioning
      close
      • President, Marquette University (Fr. Robert Wild)
      • Director of University Communication (Brigid O'Brien Miller)
  2. Created By
    Michael Jones
    Boston, MA
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

Marquette University has rescinded a job offer to a lesbian sociology professor, Jodi O'Brien, who has an outstanding record of scholarship and teaching experience. While the university has insisted that their actions weren't homophobic, the've gone on record saying that the Professor O'Brien's scholarship dealing with LGBT discrimination runs counter to the tenets of Marquette University.

That's a shame. Scholars who work on cutting-edge social issues should be welcome at all universities. Indeed, Marquette has recognized Professor O'Brien's scholarship and even recruited her for the job, before outside pressure came in to push the school to rescind the job offer, solely because of O'Brien's sexual orientation and work on LGBT issues.

A group of faculty (not to mention students) have put pressure on the University to get Marquette to issue an apology for their anti-gay behavior, but to reinstate the job offer to Professor O'Brien. If her scholarship and teaching experience were good enough to get her recruited for the position, then the University ought to be willing to stand next to her despite homophobic opposition.

Colleges and universities should be about making sure the best teachers succeed and touch the lives of students. Instead, Marquette's handling of this situation sent the message that LGBT teachers are not welcome at their university, and won't be in the future. Is that really the message Marquette University wants to send to the rest of the country?

Recent Signatures

Apologize and Reissue Job Offer to Professor Jodi O'Brien

Greetings,

Marquette's recent actions to rescind a job offer to a prominent lesbian sociology professor has sent a harmful message about your university's position on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. Though Marquette University has repeatedly said that there was nothing homophobic behind the actions to rescind the job offer to Professor Jodi O'Brien, it's become clear through media reports that Professor O'Brien's sexual orientation, and her work on LGBT issues, has caused concern with certain officials, including the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

A group of faculty members from Marquette and Seattle University (Professor O'Brien's current school) have issued a statement calling on Marquette to re-offer Professor O'Brien the position she was recruited for, and to apologize for rescinding her job offer in the first place. According to these professors, "We believe this action has caused significant harm to the reputation of Marquette University."

I agree. Marquette University should not have a litmus test for hiring faculty, least of all a litmus test that requires professors to be heterosexual or to work on issues outside of gay rights. That's not a policy that gels with the tenets of higher education, or Marquette's mission.

I urge you to move forward with the job offer to Professor O'Brien, who was actively recruited by your university and who has an outstanding academic record. I also urge Marquette to apologize to both Professor O'Brien and the entire Marquette community for actions that were widely interpreted to be homophobic and anti-gay.

Thank you for your time.

[Your name]

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