Parents, beware of Missouri State University’s School of Social Work. Via KY3:

The president of Missouri State University made public a negative review of the school’s School of Social Work on Thursday. President Mike Nietzel says it’s one of the most damning review of an academic program that he’s every seen.

Nietzel requested the review by an outside panel last fall after MSU settled a lawsuit with a graduate of the School of Social Work. Emily Brooker sued the university because she said faculty members punished her for failing to take part in a class assignment that went against her Christian beliefs. Brooker said the project asked students to draft and sign a letter to state legislators in support of gay people being allowed to be foster parents.

The university quickly settled the lawsuit. It said it would “clear Brooker’s official record” and pay damages of $9,000. It also agreed to “waive academic fees at Missouri State University, or in lieu thereof, reimburse an amount equal to two years of degree work toward a Master of Social Work degree” at costs estimated at $12,000, “plus Brooker will receive $3,000 per year in living expense for two years of graduate education.”

In addition, the University also reassigned Professor Frank Kauffman to non-classroom duties for the rest of the fall semester and required him to begin weekly consultations with Associate Provost Chris Craig at least until May 2007. Kauffman also gave up his administrative duties as director of the Master of Social Work Program.

Nietzel also ordered a study of MSU’s policy on freedom of expression by a campus committee and a comprehensive study by an outside group of the School of Social Work. On Thursday, in his weekly e-mail message to the campus, Nietzel released the reports from the two groups and added his own comments.

Stunning. Links to the documents here.

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