“Did Jesus Pack Hit?”: Maine College Professor Accused of Mocking and Abusing Religious Student Over Gun Rights

There is a controversy at Eastern Maine Community College after a professor reported attacked a Christian conservative student for writing an essay about gun control. Katherine Parker accused English instructor Carol Lewandowski of engaging in raw political bias and then receiving no support from the community college.

Parker was asked to complete a persuasive speech paper in response to an editorial. She chose an editorial by columnist Douglas Rooks in the Portland Press Herald entitled, “Maine Legislature derelict in its duty on ‘red flag’,” criticizing Democratic leaders for failing to hold a hearing on a bill for a new “red flag” law.

While agreeing with Rooks that a hearing was a good idea, Parker opposed the red flag law.

After submitting the draft to Lewandowski for feedback, Parker said that she was told to change topics and was ridiculed over her religious and political beliefs. Lewandowski made reference to Parker’s earlier essay in support of her Christian faith in mocking her position on gun rights.

Lewandowski told Parker to “avoid proselytizing with logical fallacies in a college class” — treating her support for the Second Amendment as such a “logical fallacy.” She then added “Wasn’t your former speech a testimony to finding Jesus. Did Jesus pack heat?”

Lewandowski then dismissed her views and told her to pick a different topic because Parker’s views were unacceptable to her:

“I find this 2nd amendment nonsense exhausting and highly recommend you choose a different topic since this one is not one I can easily grade, given my own disdain for the misinterpretations of the second amendment…Hate to tell ya, but guns DO kill….You clearly do not care about people as much as you care about guns. Your argument is a solid representation of that. For fairness to you and to me, please choose another topic.”

The community college professor continued to heap insults on the student:  “And think again about Jesus packing heat. Really. You and your ilk drive me nuts with your hypocrisy. Guns kill. Own it.”

When Parker objected to Lewandowski, the professor again told her to change topics and suggested that she take up any complaints with the department chair and the dean (who were cc’ed on the email).

“Please change your topic as I earlier requested as this is a trigger issue for me. No pun intended…I admit I cannot assess the gun issue objectively.”

One would think that such an abusive and politically biased attack on a student would result in the termination of the professor. However, Parker alleges that the community college did not seem inclined to take action against Lewandowski.

Parker says that she spoke to EMCC Dean of Academics Lynn Hunter, who “assured me that discrimination was not tolerated at the community college, but she did not give me a clear answer when I asked her how she felt about what the teacher said to me — she assured me that she would be getting both sides of the story.”

While she says that Hunter “apologized for what I was going through,” but there is no evidence of disciplinary action against Lewandowski.

Dr. Lesley Gillis, Chair, English & Co-Chair, Liberal Studies was also cc’ed on the email.

Such abuse of a student over political and religious views should result in the termination of the professor. However, we have seen a high-level of toleration (and even support for) anti-conservative and anti-Republican positions by faculty. That includes teachers in Maine calling for Trump supporters to be “taken out.”

It is now common to hear inflammatory language from professors advocating “detonating white people,” denouncing police, calling for Republicans to suffer,  strangling police officers, celebrating the death of conservatives, calling for the killing of Trump supporters, supporting the murder of conservative protesters and other outrageous statements. One professor who declared that there is “nothing wrong” with such acts of violence as killing conservatives was actually promoted.

At the same time, there is little tolerance for conservatives targeted for controversial statements against the left.

We have not heard directly from Professor Lewandowski, but these communications are shocking. If true, the failure of the community college to take action immediately against Lewandowski is a chilling reminder of how higher educations has lost its moorings. By retaining Lewandowski, the college is not just allowing but facilitating such abuse of students.

More importantly, this type of raw political bias and abuse does not occur outside of an enabling culture. Lewandowski not only felt that she had a license to oppose a religious or conservative student, but cc’ed her superiors to show Parker that she had little concern over any disciplinary response.

This is a teacher who has clearly stated that she finds opposing sides “triggering” and cannot grade papers which advance views with which she as “disdain.” A mere shrug and apology is hardly sufficient.

Lewandowski is listed as an instructor, though some publications refer to her as the head of the department. That position appears to be held by Gillis.

Indeed, it is not just Lewandowski’s conduct that should be reviewed by but also the alleged conduct (or lack of response) from Gillis and Hunter.

What happened to this student is the very antithesis of the values supporting higher education. Roughly half of citizens in Maine are gun owners. Many are religious. They should feel that they can attend their community college without being ridiculed over their religious and political beliefs. That is why the Maine legislature should look into this controversy if the school fails to do so. The citizens of Maine support this school system and students like Parker often have to make sacrifices to attend these schools. They deserve better than what Parker faced in this course.