The Press Enterprise
By David Olson
The legal wrangling in a case involving the resignations of three La Sierra University employees has veered into questions of religious freedom and the university’s accreditation.
The three sued the university in July. They contend Ricardo Graham, the chairman of the La Sierra board and a top Seventh-day Adventist Church official, illegally coerced them into resigning after hearing a recording of the three criticizing Graham and two top Adventist education officials. Two remain at the university as professors, but not in their previous administrative posts.
The three acknowledge in their suit they were “very critical” of the officials after an April meeting that discussed concerns about the Adventist-affiliated university’s adherence to church teaching. An Adventist church body has criticized La Sierra for not doing enough to present church teaching on Biblical creationism in its science classes.
Graham, the Pacific Union Adventist conference Graham heads, the Adventist church’s education division and the two education officials also are named in the suit. (Read more)
