Education

University Disinvited Creationist Speaker After LGBTQ Pressure

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Rob Shimshock Education Reporter
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The University of Central Oklahoma disinvited a creationist speaker after pressure from LGBTQ activists on campus, according to a Thursday report.

The school insists that its student government rescinded creationist Ken Ham‘s invitation to speak and not the administration itself, reported The College Fix.

“Pressure from a professor leading the LGBTQ group at the University of Central Oklahoma has resulted in my invitation to give a presentation on campus being cancelled, even though the university signed a contract,” said Ham on Facebook. “So much for ‘toleration’ and ignoring the university’s promise for free inquiry and expression.”

The school did not directly address whether pressure from a professor led to his disinvitation. Instead, university spokesman Charlie Johnson distanced the school from the decision.

“The university may advise, but does not direct, the activities of [University of Central Oklahoma Student Association],” said Johnson. “In fact, in the spirit of the [University of Central Oklahoma] policy on freedom of expression, the university President, Provost and the Vice President of Student Affairs supported and did not deny the proposal to bring Mr. Ham to campus to encourage conversation and debate of diverse perspectives. This was prior to [the university’s student association’s] cancellation of the invitation to Mr. Ham.”

Stockton Duvall, president of University of Central Oklahoma’s student government, addressed the situation on Facebook, saying the organization the student government partnered to host the event backed out, “in part, due to a lack of communication on [Duvall’s] part.”

LGBTQ activists may also have factored into the decision to cancel the event, according to emails obtained by Fox News.

“We are currently getting bombarded with complaints from our LGBT community about Ken Ham speaking on our campus,” said Duvall in an email to Ham’s company, Answers in Genesis.

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The University of Central Oklahoma did not respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for additional comment in time for press.

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Tags : oklahoma
Rob Shimshock