A religious studies major was barred from Christianity class at Indiana University of Pennsylvania for saying during class that there are only two genders.
Lake Ingle, a senior at the university, said he was silenced and punished by IUP Professor Alison Downie for questioning her during a Feb. 28 “Christianity 481: Self, Sin, and Salvation” lecture.
After showing a 15-minute TED Talk by transgender ex-pastor Paula Stone Williams discussing the “reality” of “mansplaining,” “sexism from men,” and “male privilege,” the professor asked the women in the class to share their thoughts. When no women in the class said anything, Ingle spoke up, challenging the professor on biology and the gender wage gap.
He (Ingle) told the class that the official view of biologists is that there are only two genders. Farewell Ingle. He also challenged the Professor's declaration that women only make 77% of the wages of men, citing numerous studies and articles that debunk this myth.
The feminist professor booted him from class and asked him not to come back. She then referred him to the public university’s Academic Integrity Board (AIB). Ingle needs to complete the class to graduate at the end of the semester.
“You are barred from attending this class in accordance with the Classroom Disruption policy,” IUP Provost Timothy Moerland told Ingle in a March 2 letter.
Ingle said what the professor did was unconstitutional.
“My professor is violating my First Amendment rights because of the fact that my views and ideology is different from hers,” Ingle told Fox News. “So she took it on herself to silence and embarrass me – bully me – for speaking up in class.”
Downie accused the conservative libertarian student of “disrespectful objection,” “refusal to stop talking out of turn,” “angry outbursts in response to being required to listen to a trans speaker discuss the reality of white male privilege and sexism,” and “disrespectful references to the validity of trans identity and experience.”
Ingle doesn’t see this as a transgender, women’s rights, or wage issue, but rather as free speech and an example of the constant misuse of intellectual power at universities.
“It is my firmest belief that every human being has the freedom and right to identify, dress, and represent oneself as they see fit,” Ingle said. “I think this is all an attempt to silence my views personally because they contradict the ones she pushes in class so evidently.”
Ingle objected to Downie’s “overall abuse” as a professor “indoctrinating” students because she won’t listen to the other side of a controversial argument.
The university was unwilling to comment due to student education records, and Downie did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
****
The Rest Of The Story
March IUP President Michael Driscoll announced at a press conference Monday his decision to go against Professor Alison Downie’s controversial request to ban Ingle from class for “disruptive behavior." Lake Ingle is thus reinstated to attend his class.
Downie kicked him out of class and asked him not to come back, which would have postponed his graduation if not for the college president’s decision.
Driscoll said he is “disappointed” in how the university handled the situation, adding it had “fallen short” of devotion to the First Amendment.
Ingle considers the end to his 18-day exile a victory.
“I’m happy I can get back to class and graduate on time,” Ingle told Fox News. “I was surprised the president stepped in before the ruling but glad he made the right choice.”
Ingle is now set to graduate and hopes to one day become a professor.
Prior to Driscoll’s announcement, Ingle told Campus Reform that he’s tried to battle head on “censorship on college campuses” and bring “the opposing, conservative view that many classroom discussion beg for.”
“With regards to my conflict with the university and instructor, I am fighting to make my voice heard. Not only my voice, but the voices of others that oppose popular university opinion,” he told the outlet. “I am not battling my professor to prove that I am right about gender wage gaps or transgenderism, I am fighting to ensure that students may disagree with their professors and if they do, must speak up.”
Feminist Downie did not respond to request for comment.
****