An adjunct professor lost her teaching position after 11 years at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, after some faculty asserted that her public and online statements “contradict the mission” of the conservative Catholic university, according to a letter she received from the school.
Rebecca Bratten Weiss had taught English literature and before that philosophy at Franciscan, where she had earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She had a non-tenured position, teaching two to three classes per semester.
Daniel R. Kempton, the university’s vice president for academic affairs, confirmed in a statement Friday that Ms. Bratten Weiss’ contract was not renewed but did not say why.
“It is our longstanding policy not to speak publicly about current or former employees,” he said. “... This policy is consistent with basic Christian charity and is integral to the law.”
But Ms. Bratten Wess said Friday that she received a letter from Mr. Kempton over the summer citing faculty concerns that her words had worked “against the formation that we attempt to impart to our students.”
The school — which has grown into a national standard-bearer of conservative Catholicism — deemed the concerns “sufficiently serious that the university is not prepared to offer you an adjunct contract,” the letter said.
She said the letter was accompanied with photocopies of such things as her blog post defending the HBO series “Game of Thrones” against charges it is pornography; her comment about “patriarchy police” in a closed Facebook discussion; and her posting an article that mocked President Donald Trump.
Ms. Bratten Weiss, a prolific blogger who identifies as both feminist and pro-life, said she believes politics lay behind her firing.
“If my commitment is to a robust, intellectual tradition and to maintain a vital, Catholic tradition, then I'm perfectly in line with the mission” of the university, she said. “But if it means supporting a Republican agenda and promoting Donald Trump, then I'm clearly not in line with the mission.”
She said she was “horrified” that so many Catholic voters saw Mr. Trump as a champion of their causes, despite such things as his boasts of predatory sexual behavior.
She also recently co-founded a small group called the New Pro-Life Movement, which incorporates opposition to abortion and euthanasia along with work for peace, accessible health care and reduced gun violence.
LifeSiteNews.com, a privately funded site whose articles often focus on opposition to abortion and homosexuality, recently published a lengthy article criticizing Ms. Bratten Weiss and saying the New Pro-Life Movement is a “poison pill” that would dilute opposition to abortion with “liberal boilerplate” concerns.
The article incorporated screenshots from some of Ms. Bratten Weiss’ online conversations, some in closed groups, that she said “no one could have gotten unless they were spying on me.”
LifeSiteNews and similar media also published articles criticizing the Rev. James Martin, whose scheduled appearance at Catholic University of America’s seminary in Washington, D.C., was recently canceled. The Jesuit priest was scheduled to talk on bridge-building efforts with LGBT persons. Critics said he failed to adequately echo church condemnations of homosexuality.
Father Martin said he and Ms. Bratten Weiss have been targeted by same “Catholic alt-right.”
"In both cases, hers and my own, a campaign of personal vilification from a few self-appointed orthodoxy police, mainly online, whipped people into a rage,” he said. “... Basically, it's schoolyard bullying brought into the church."
“An argument could certainly be made that I need to be more moderate in my phrasing, on social networking, but I have never spoken against church teaching or in favor of abortion, so it is distressing to see people misrepresenting my positions,” she said.
She said her critics misunderstand why she might teach a novel such as “Lolita” or praise “Game of Thrones.” Neither work is prurient, she said, but in fact show sexual violence for what it is, and the excuses that perpetrators use to justify oppression.
“This whole idea that you can teach literature and still remain prim is just ridiculous,” she said.
Ms. Bratten Weiss, who lives in rural Ohio, said the university gave her the option of reapplying to work in the future, but she doubts she’ll do so.
“I don’t like working in an atmosphere where I feel there are people who are spying on me and intent on destroying my life,” she said.
Meanwhile she’s busy writing, starting a podcast for the New Pro-Life Movement and helping plan a conference next week called the Festival of Friendship at Synod Hall in Pittsburgh, dealing with cultural issues as well as such topics as refugees and human trafficking.
Peter Smith: petersmith@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1416; Twitter @PG_PeterSmith.
First Published: September 25, 2017, 5:16 p.m.
