College professor files suit after being disciplined for using Ms., Mr., Miss at work

LINK

A Shawnee State University philosophy professor filed a lawsuit against the Portsmouth, Ohio, school on Nov. 5 for disciplining him because he insisted on using the courtesy title that corresponded to a student’s biological sex.




Nicholas Meriwether, a 22-year tenured faculty member, uses courtesy titles like “Mr.” and “Miss” with students’ last names in his classes. But his belief that God created humans immutably male or female puts that practice at odds with the Shawnee State nondiscrimination policy, which demands employees affirm a person’s preferred gender.

The case could force publicly funded schools to reassess their LGBT nondiscrimination policies, said Meriwether’s attorney, Travis Barham with Alliance Defending Freedom. “Public universities have no business compelling people to express views they do not hold,” Barham said. “That’s the message of this case.”

A disciplinary letter placed in Meriwether’s personnel file in June claimed he created a “hostile environment” in his political philosophy class by refusing to address a male student, Alena Bruening, as female.

Meriwether suggested to the student and school administrators that he refer to Bruening by first or last name only, with no gender-specific prefix. According to the lawsuit, Bruening took offense at the offer and responded with an obscenity. Bruening filed two discrimination complaints and threatened to have the professor fired.