Wedatala declined an interview request and did not explain why she did not voice her concerns before the images were shown. However, she said in an emailed statement that images of the Prophet Muhammad should never be displayed and that Dr. Lopez Prater issued a trigger warning that such images would be offensive to many Muslims. She said she couldn’t see herself in the course because she was so nervous about the lecture.
Four days after class, Dr. Lopez-Plater was called to a video conference with Marcela Costichova, president of the College of the Liberal Arts.
According to Dr. Lopez-Plater, Dr. Kostichova compared showing this image to using racist adjectives for black people.
“It was clear to me that she hadn’t spoken to an art historian,” Dr. Lopez-Plater said.
A few weeks later, the university canceled my offer to teach next semester.
Dr. Lopez Prater said he is ready to move on. She had a teaching position at another school. But on November 7th, his Vice Chancellor for Excellence at Inclusive, David Everett, sent an email to all university staff, saying that certain actions taken in online classes were “clearly disrespectful and disrespectful.” and Islamophobic.”
After meeting with the school’s Muslim Student Association, the administration will host a public forum “with the theme of Islamophobia,” he wrote.
Dr. Lopez-Plater, who just started teaching at Hamline in the fall, said it felt like a bucket of ice water had been shoved on his head, but the shock quickly felt “to be characterized by someone with such words.” It turned into a furious anger at ‘a person I’ve never met or spoken to. She contacted Dr. Gruber, who eventually wrote an essay and initiated a petition.