Ex-Professor sues Hamline over Prophet Muhammad cartoon row

On Tuesday (January 17), a former liberal arts Professor named Erika López Prater sued Hamline University for damaging her skilled and private status and subjecting her to non secular discrimination.

The growth comes weeks after she was fired by the varsity for displaying two historic work of Prophet Muhammad to her college students throughout a worldwide artwork historical past class. 

Served with a lawsuit immediately, @HamlineU — which in earlier weeks repeatedly mentioned college students’ emotions trump educational freedom — counsel it’s all been a giant misunderstanding and so they’ve beloved educational freedom all alongside. https://t.co/I8NOt3X0r1

— Alex Morey (@1AMorey) January 18, 2023

“Among other things, Hamline, through its administration, has referred to Dr López Prater’s actions as undeniably Islamophobic…Comments like these, which have now been published in news stories around the globe, will follow Dr López Prater throughout her career, potentially resulting in her inability to obtain a tenure track position at any institution of higher education,” her attorneys knowledgeable.

They identified how the college missed the ‘academic purpose’ of the work and went on to label her as Islamophobic, based mostly on the criticism of a Muslim scholar. The attorneys had served the lawsuit to the varsity, publish which the Hamline administration characterised its motion towards Erika López Prater as a ‘misstep.’

Hamline college concedes motion towards Professor as ‘misstep’

A joint assertion was launched by Hamline University President Faynesse Miller and Board of Trustees chair Ellen Watters.

“Like all organizations, sometimes we misstep. In the interest of hearing from and supporting our Muslim students, language was used that does not reflect our sentiments on academic freedom,” the assertion learn.

NEW from Hamline U: “our usage of the term ‘Islamophobic’ was therefore flawed” in relation to the artwork historical past professor who confirmed a bit of 14th century artwork that includes the Prophet Muhammad. pic.twitter.com/9p74sksWwT

— Jason DeRusha (@DeRushaJ) January 17, 2023

“Based on all that we have learned, we have determined that our usage of the term ‘Islamophobic’ was therefore flawed. Higher education is about learning and growing. We have certainly learned and continue to grow as we generate new knowledge to share with all of our Hamline community.”

In a bid to undo the injury, the varsity has now determined to carry two public classes about ‘academic freedom and religion’ and ‘academic freedom and student care.’

The Background of the controversy

Erika López Prater was fired for displaying the image of Prophet Muhammad to her college students throughout a worldwide artwork historical past class at Hamline University in Minnesota within the United States.

As per studies, the incident occurred on October 6, 2022, throughout which the Professor was instructing Islamic artwork to her college students. She had warned them prematurely about her plan to indicate two historic work of the final Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

One portray dated again to the 14th century (created by Persian scholar Rashīd al-Dīn) whereas one other portray was made within the sixteenth century (by Mustafa ibn Vali).

Soon after, a number of Muslim college students took offence to the show of the historic work and claimed that the professor’s actions constituted Islamophobia.