Former Hamline Adjunct Art Instructor Suing University

(St. Paul, MN)  —  A former adjunct art instructor who showed images of the Prophet Muhammad in class is suing Hamline University.  Attorneys for Erika Lopez Prater announced yesterday that she is suing the school for defamation, religious discrimination, and breach of contract.  Shortly after the announcement, Hamline’s president backed off a previous statement calling the classroom incident Islamophopic.  The university decided not to renew Lopez Prater’s contract for the spring semester following a student complaint about Lopez Prater’s actions.  The decision pushed the school into the national spotlight in a debate over academic freedom and religious tolerance.