2008 Woodie Awards
Briefly Mentioned - Local
Issue date: 12/5/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
KU intelligent design class canceled
Last Thursday the University of Kansas withdrew a class on intelligent design. Paul Mirecki, head of KU's Religious Studies Department, requested the spring semester class he would teach be canceled.
The announcement came after e-mails Mirecki posted on an Internet discussion site-KU Society of Open-Minded Atheists and Agnostics-came to light. Mirecki is faculty advisor of the student group. In the e-mails Mirecki speaks critically of fundamental Christians and Jews. In another e-mail he wrote: "I don't think most Catholics really know what they are supposed to believe, they just go home and use condoms and some of them beat their wives and husbands."
The Kansas City Star reported KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway called Mirecki's e-mails "repugnant and vile" and said Mirecki "insulted both our students and the university's public, and he misrepresented beliefs of KU's faculty and staff."
Some lawmakers say in response to Mirecki's behavior they will examine biases of other professors; some plan on holding hearings next year.
Mirecki's course, "Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and Other Religious Mythologies," has already sparked debate. Twenty-five students had signed up for the course. Administrators insist they canceled the course because of Mirecki's e-mails, not because of outside opposition.
Last Thursday the University of Kansas withdrew a class on intelligent design. Paul Mirecki, head of KU's Religious Studies Department, requested the spring semester class he would teach be canceled.
The announcement came after e-mails Mirecki posted on an Internet discussion site-KU Society of Open-Minded Atheists and Agnostics-came to light. Mirecki is faculty advisor of the student group. In the e-mails Mirecki speaks critically of fundamental Christians and Jews. In another e-mail he wrote: "I don't think most Catholics really know what they are supposed to believe, they just go home and use condoms and some of them beat their wives and husbands."
The Kansas City Star reported KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway called Mirecki's e-mails "repugnant and vile" and said Mirecki "insulted both our students and the university's public, and he misrepresented beliefs of KU's faculty and staff."
Some lawmakers say in response to Mirecki's behavior they will examine biases of other professors; some plan on holding hearings next year.
Mirecki's course, "Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and Other Religious Mythologies," has already sparked debate. Twenty-five students had signed up for the course. Administrators insist they canceled the course because of Mirecki's e-mails, not because of outside opposition.
