Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Wheaton College professor Larycia Hawkins was put on leave in December over her remarks about wearing a hijab, starting a two-month battle over her position.
A tenured professor at an Illinois Christian college will be stepping down after administration censured her defense[1] of wearing a hijab, the school said.
Wheaton College announced Saturday night that political science professor Larycia Hawkins will "part ways" under a mutual, confidential agreement, two months after their conflict exploded into a national story.
"Wheaton College sincerely appreciates Dr. Hawkins' contributions to this institution over the last nine years," Wheaton College President Dr. Philip Graham Rykne said in a statement.
Ryken added in an email to faculty the decision came with "a mutual desire for God's blessing," according to the Chicago Tribune.[2]
Hawkins, in a statement, said she has "great respect" for the evangelic school, which put her on leave and considered firing her over the controversy.
The school said it would give no further information about Hawkins' exit until a Wednesday press conference.
Albert Herring/via Wikipedia Creative Commons Wheaton College said Hawkins' comments about Islam violated its Statement of Faith.
Hawkins came under fire from her bosses in December, after she said on Facebook she planned to wear a hijab in public. The professor, who is Christian, said she wanted to show solidarity with Muslims amidst rising resentments after the Paris and San Bernardino terror attacks.
The school did not take explicit issue with her hijab, but rather a Facebook comment Hawkins wrote in defense of it, saying Muslims and Christians "worship the same god." Wheaton said Hawkins violated the school's Statement of Faith, which imposes a belief of "one sovereign God" according to Christian scripture.
Wheaton initially put Hawkins on paid leave. She said the school then pressured her to resign, then considered revoking her tenure, and in January made moves to have her fired.
The pressure up top came despite the school's Faculty Council calling for Wheaton to let Hawkins stay at the school. Students also staged several campus protests against administration and formed a Facebook group, "Support Doc Hawk," which drew more than 800 members.
jsilverstein@nydailynews.com[3]
References
- ^ censured her defense (www.nydailynews.com)
- ^ Chicago Tribune. (www.chicagotribune.com)
- ^ jsilverstein@nydailynews.com< /a> (www.nydailynews.com)
- ^ illinois (www.nydailynews.com)
- ^ religion (www.nydailynews.com)
