Tuesday's Sun features the story of Kent Gramm, who is losing his job as a college English professor after 20 years because he refuses to tell his employer personal details about his divorce. Of course, when your employer is Wheaton College, you know when you sign up that you've got to stick to the moral high road. What do you think of Gramm's decision to resign rather than explain why his 30-year marriage ended?
Here's the story:
He got a divorce, now he's jobless
Wheaton College professor refuses to discuss split
By Mary Houlihan Chicago Sun-Times
After 30 years of marriage and 20 years of teaching, Kent Gramm is getting divorced and losing his job at the same time.
But Gramm is not surprised. He knew when divorce proceedings started that unemployment was a possibility.
Gramm, a professor of English at Wheaton College, and his wife are in the midst of a split, and because he refuses to discuss the cause of the divorce with college officials - school policy requires the divorce be within acceptable parameters - he is resigning.
Otherwise, the college would have fired him.
"I feel a lot of sadness," Gramm said from his office on the Wheaton campus.
"However, I'm mentally prepared, because I was aware of the school's policy."
Teachers, students and employees of Wheaton, an evangelical Christian school, commit to live their lives according to a Statement of Faith and Community Covenant that spells out suitable behavior.
"You sign the statement when you accept employment at the college," said Sarah Clark, director of media relations. "Everyone knows it's part of the deal."
Wheaton is known as a conservative college where smoking, drinking and gambling are not allowed. Dancing became acceptable only four years ago, breaking a ban that had been in place since the Civil War.
Wheaton's policy acknowledges divorce can occur in a Christian marriage, and it does not consider divorce an "unpardonable sin." But college officials reserve the right to review the cause of a divorce, something that Gramm refused to discuss.
"I think it's wrong to have to accuse your spouse and to discuss with your employer your personal life and marital situation," Gramm said. "But I don't feel badly treated. There has been an attitude of compassion here."
Clark says a situation like this - a mutually agreed upon separation - is not a common occurrence at Wheaton and is always a very difficult conversation for those involved.
"We are a place of higher education, and that is certainly central to our mission," Clark said. "But we are also a faith-based community. So we tell all of our employees, whether it's a janitor or a dean, that it's about more than teaching. It's about being an example for our students in the entire scope of our lives."
Gramm will finish out the semester and then head west for the summer to research his next book. He has talked to his students about his reasons for resigning and hopes he leaves them with one last lesson.
"I want them to know that divorce happens," Gramm said. "That you aren't deserted by God because your life doesn't turn out the way you expect. I hope this helps them acquire a broader understanding of what Christianity is and what faithfulness means."
ahhhh Wheaton. What's there to discuss, he knew it was coming/he knew the 'policy'.
*snore*
Plenty of other places to work that don't pry into your personal life...
Move on Kent.
Sounds like a personal matter that really isn't anyone else's business.
I'm not sure how this became a media news story since it appears he decided to leave on his own. Though this may not be the last of it, by far.
Wasn't this the place that just lifted the ban on dancing a couple years ago? I'm sure there are plenty of more "forward-thinking" educational institutions that are firmly in the 20th century that this gentleman could work for.
It's just a shame that what takes place in someone's private life can affect his employment, but that's the hypocritical attitude of holier-than-thou "Christians" for you.
Ya he knew...but you know I don't know what the Catholic schools do even? If you taught for them & got a divorce would they fire you? They are usually more strict on stuff...other than maybe Baptists? Though don't get me even started with the Annulment idea for paying for forgiveness & to say it didn't happen. So hypocritical. God knows in my opinion & to pay humans to say that God forgives you just makes me sick. Use to be other sins you could pay for too. I would think the students are smarter & get it much more than some of the older adults even. I'm not saying I may not do it, to just satisfy others but it just does not sit well with what my spirit knows of God.
I can't even fathom not dancing! I think you can hurt yourself not dancing! HA! And then what they think of other things then....YIPES! I must be going to hell then! ;-) And see there is a perfect example, how can you change the dancing idea. Either it is evil or it isn't. Did God change his mind and come tell you..."oops sorry, my bad!" GEEZ!
And you know there are just some people who should never be married in the first place...well in the grand scheme of things there is probably a reason...perhaps to grow from experiences..makes you stronger etc...and quite frankly to me sometimes it is that a child will be born that will just be sooo needed on this planet. And some I'm sorry, they just do not hold up their end of their vows of what marriage is all about, despite no matter what the other person does; and that is not fair that they should suffer the rest of their lives.
Anonymous:
"Though don't get me even started with the Annulment idea for paying for forgiveness & to say it didn't happen."
An annulment in the Catholic Church is not something you buy. There are usually fees involved, but these are to cover expenses, and not to make money, and the fees can be waived in hardship cases. It's certainly not some automatic process where pay a certain sum and get your marriage erased.
Well that is quite interesting...because then why do some churches provide annulments free, others a small amount & still others an extreme amount!
Anonymous,
I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you saying some Catholic parishes charge more money for annulments than others? If so, do you have examples? Also, do you think this is proof that annulments are a profit center for the Church? If so, why?
In any event, I'm sure if you can't afford the fees they would be willing to work with you. Moreover, you can always take your "business" to the parish that charges less.
-JQP
It still amazes me, however, that an annulment can take place in the Catholic church that makes it so the marriage never happened? The vows and mass were never said? What does the church consider the children of such marriages to be? Tragic mistakes? B*****d children? Will someone please explain how annulment makes the marriage go away, in the eyes of God? I really would like to know the rationale.
I don't think I could give better answers to your questions than you could easily find by doing a Google search on "Catholic church annulment". I don't guarantee you'll agree with the answers the Church has to your questions, but you might understand the Church's position a little better.
When I became a Wheaton student, I had to sign a "pledge" and contract of a sort to follow some rules of behavior. At the time I was there, dancing was not allowed and alcohol use was not permitted at any time, even when you were home over the summer. My sister who was a few years ahead of me was not allowed to play cards. Over the years (truthfully as some of the major donors have passed away) the rules have lightened up. Now professors and adult students (just not undergrads) who are of age can have a glass of wine at dinner if they are off campus. Students can dance and play cards (just not gamble.)
Professors also sign a version of this "pledge" that also relates specifically to their roles as leaders and mentors on campus.
Anonymous above states "It's just a shame that what takes place in someone's private life can affect his employment, but that's the hypocritical attitude of holier-than-thou "Christians" for you."
Yes, during the time that I was at Wheaton, I met some hypocrites. I also met some people who had "holier than thou" attitudes. But most of the students and professors I knew were good, caring and kind people who would never consider themselves above someone else. Most were open to varying viewpoints and would not condemn anyone with different beliefs than them. It's just that they all had one thing in common, and that was a faith in God and Jesus Christ. And many were more forward thinking overall about different social issues than most people outside of Wheaton even realize. (I personally believe that gays should have a legal right to marry. I also believe that there are situations where abortion may be warranted.)
Wheaton is a Christian college. It is not publicly funded in any way. As a result, they have a right to uphold the level of standards that they feel are part of their faith. At Wheaton, what a professor or student does in their private life does become more important because they have promised to hold themselves to a certain standard of behavior and signed a "contract" to do so. This professor is not being let go for getting divorced itself, but for not allowing the college to determine whether that "contract" has been broken by him, resulting in the divorce. And he seems to be okay with the way the college has handled the situation. If he is a good professor, then they will give him good references and he will be able to find a position elsewhere.
And yes, some Catholic schools will fire a teacher who gets divorced. And they often won't hire a teacher who has gone through divorce. I used to teach with a woman who was dismissed in the middle of an interview for a position in a Catholic school when it was discovered she was divorced.
Kent Gramm did himself a favor; such religious fundamentalism is dangerous as evidenced by what has been going on in the Third World for hundreds of years. Prof. Gramm is plainly too intelligent let his employers judge his divorce. I am sure that when he signed the agreement that he thought his marriage would be "for a long as you both shall live," and was hurt enough by the end of his marriage to share the private and personal details with those self-righteous hypocrites. Wheaton College should change its name to Wheaton Evangelist COMPOUND.