Seizure of Texas Professor's Computers, Emails Called Troubling

Although University of Texas professor Mark Regnerus has been cleared of alleged research misconduct in a study that showed negative effects of gay parenting, one group is calling the seizure of his computers and 42,000 emails by university officials "troubling," Baptist Press reports. "It seems to us that UT Austin should take a closer look at its rules to make sure that the provision for sequestration does not become an open invitation to hassle and discourage researchers working within politically charged topics," said the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. Regnerus, an associate professor of sociology, found that adults raised by gay parents were more likely to suffer from poor impulse control, depression, suicidal thoughts and other negative life experiences. His study was larger and more random than most previous studies on the subject, and gay-activist blogger Scott Rose accused him of academic fraud and called for a formal investigation. The university announced Aug. 29 that Regnerus was innocent of academic misconduct and that the merits of his study "should be left to debates that are currently underway in the academy and future research that validates or invalidates his findings."