University Official Suspended for Signing Marriage Petition Seeks Reinstatement

Last week, Gallaudet University's Dr. Angela McCaskill was suspended for her position as chief diversity officer because she had signed a petition opposing Maryland's Question 6, which would make same-sex marriage legal in the state. After news of McCaskill's suspension drew fire -- and more than 52,000 people across the country signed a petition  for her reinstatement -- Gallaudet president T. Alan Hurwitz released a statement Tuesday saying he would "like to work" with McCaskill to "enable her to return" to the university, WORLD Magazine reports. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council said the situation had a chilling effect on supporters of traditional family  values. "Dr. McCaskill is the perfect illustration of what's at stake if Question 6 passes," he said. "The effort to redefine marriage is all about our most basic civil rights -- the right to worship, to speak freely, to cast our ballots, even, in Dr. McCaskill's case, to pursue a livelihood. Even the simple act of participating in the political process is grounds for dismissal."