The editor of the student newspaper at Bryan College (Tennessee) was ordered by the college President to spike his story about the real reason a professor resigned suddenly. ( to spike a story: not print it)
Student editor Alex Green emailed biblical studies professor David Morgan who confirmed he’d left his job. The official school position was that Morgan had left “to pursue other opportunities.” Hearing there was more to the story Green, using public records planned to run what he found in the September 21st student newspaper Triangle. The students publish the Triangle bi-weekly.
Alex Green printed up his story on his own, along with the reason he defied Byran College President Dr. Steven Livesay. Then he emailed a .pdf file to a few trusted current students and alumni in case fake papers surfaced with an altered version of his article, and distributed it around the campus. This is the sidebar Alex Green wrote.
The story the college president tried to kill can be found here.
Green, a senior majoring in journalism, could be expelled.
I see what Alex Green has done as a courageous act of integrity. He committed journalism., and I hope newspapers around the US offer him a job.
Bryan College was established in 1930 and is a private Christian liberal arts school with about 1300 students.
Lots of updates: Bryan College President Livesay spoke to students today, wouldn’t permit filming.
I suspect this blog post may not be up long.
Bryan College official statement.
As the Triangle is produced as part of a class and students receive academic credit for their participation, the Triangle falls under the supervision and authority of the administration. This being the case, we did not believe the college should put itself or its publications in the position of commenting on pending criminal or judicial matters.
In hindsight, this may have been a mistake. We believed we were doing the right thing to protect the privacy of a man charged, but not convicted, of a crime.
Jim Romensko follows up
It is always encouraging to see someone with backbone and morale fibre taking the high road at his/her own peril to print the truth.
It is always very disappointing to see someone in a position of authority trying to hide the truth or worse encourage a complete falsehood.
I suspect that a story like this will hit very ‘close to home’ for some folks at PBI.
Someone who has been to both colleges sent this along – they have my thanks.
You are right fjc – it did hit home for one from PBI, and Alex Green has a lot more moral fibre than the Bryan College administrators who put out the pr on Dr. Morgan’s departure.
As a former student journalist, I applaud him…
Yeah, me too Rick.
The timeline is interesting and reflects badly on Bryan College leadership.
- Morgan was arrested the 24th and resigned effective July 31.
- Morgan posted bond on June 30th.
- He submitted his resignation a few days later.
- The college academic VP met with him July 3rd.
- The resignation was effective July 31st.
- The office of the President released the pr a few days after the meeting with the academic VP.
Seems to me that President Livesay flat out lied in the pr his office released, and it seems there was intent to mislead. I think people at Bryan College need to hold a leader choosing this behaviour to account, and ask for his resignation.
This behaviour makes a mockery of Christian leadership. The students code of behaviour states:
One set of rules for students, another for administration?
It will be interesting to hear what Livesay has to say to the staff and student body tomorrow.
A man who is a college bible teacher doesn’t just wake up one day and decide to go to a gas station to meet a minor for sex. This is not his first rodeo – you can be sure of that. I am disgusted that the college president flat out lied to protect the image of his school. He should be immediately fired. God bless the young journalist for taking a stand. I predict there will be more victims coming forward in the days to come.
And yes fjc, this hit close to home for PBI’ers. We have a president who is lying through his teeth too and covering for a child molester on his staff at this very moment. Meanwhile the perps get a pass, the victims are silenced and life goes on “business as usual”. Pathetic!
Bryan College president responds:
http://www.bryan.edu/response.html
Thanks am24.
Okay – I think President Livesay has explained himself, he made an executive decision which, in hindsight, was not a healthy one for a wired community.
I have no sympathy for him, nor do I think the pressure being put on Alex Green is reasonable.
Any corrections which may have been needed in Greens article could have been made same as for any story.
I found this great comment over at Jim Romenskos blog, from someone who lists as a journo prof in Alabama.
“Did you hear about the disciple who betrayed Jesus? His name was CENSORED. Or CENSORED, who wouldn’t let the Israelites leave Egypt? Or CENSORED from Joshua 7, who cost 36 Israeli lives because he took stuff God told him not to take? Or the time that CENSORED, described in 1 Samuel 14 as a man after God’s own heart, committed adultery? If the Bible can name names, why not a Bible-focused institution?”
While this isn’t about names, this is about why Dr. Morgan resigned. The FBI can add more charges, drop charges, and the court can acquit or convict. That is not Bryan Colleges problem, nor Alex Greens.
Livesay told Romensko this evening that he had no plans to remove Alex Green as Triangle editor.
Yup. Linda is right on. This is surely not Morgan’s first rodeo.
Anyone who believes that would have had to just fallen off the pumpkin truck.
Unfortunately there seems to be a bumper crop of pumpkins at PBI…and it is not even Halloween yet.