Angela McCaskill, the Chief Diversity Officer for Gallaudet University, was placed on paid leave on Wednesday, October 10th for signing a petition that asked for votes against Maryland’s same sex marriage law. The Washington Post reports that McCaskill was one of 200,000 Maryland residents who signed. The petition was calling for a referendum on the law. Ms. McCaskill has worked at the university for over 20 years, with an exemplary record.
The president of Gallaudet, T. Alan Hurwitz, is quoted as saying,
“It recently came to my attention that Dr. McCaskill has participated in a legislative initiative that some feel is inappropriate for an individual serving as Chief Diversity Officer. However, other individuals feel differently. I will use the extended time while she is on administrative leave to determine the appropriate next steps.”
The Washington Blade originally published a copy of the petition online. Planet Deaf Queer then made her signature public.
For more on this story, Please see the Washington Post. Here’s the link:
On October 17th, McCaskell gave a press conference in ASL, with an interpreter present. Video of that press conference is available at:
However, that video – although both in English and in visible sign – is not captioned. DeafInPrison.com will post a captioned version within the next couple of days.
College Hall located on the campus of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. The Victorian Gothic building was constructed in 1877 and is a contributing property to the Gallaudet College Historic District, a National Historic Landmark. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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