Burnt Orange Report

Baylor "Outraged" over Gay Marriage Editorial

By Byron LaMasters

This is funny:

Baylor University's president says he is "justifiably outraged" over a student newspaper editorial defending gay marriage.

Robert B. Sloan Jr.'s strongly worded statement ran today in the Baylor Lariat, the newspaper of the world's largest Baptist university.

"We have already heard from a number of students, alumni and parents who are, as am I, justifiably outraged over this editorial," Sloan wrote.

"Espousing in a Baylor publication a view that is so out of touch with traditional Christian teachings is not only unwelcome, it 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," Sloan wrote.

The paper also published a statement today from the student publications board, a group of faculty and administrators overseeing the newspaper, calling the Friday editorial a violation of student publications policy, said board member Larry Brumley.

The policy states that no editorial stance of student publications should "attack the basic tenets of Christian theology or of Christian morality."

So basically, Baylor is telling it's students not to think. Lovely. The Daily Texan was understandably outraged:

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.