On May 6th, Shairylann Lisonbee wrote a letter to the editor, concerning the naming of a family outreach center at Weber State University after LDS Apostle Boyd K. Packer. She suggested that this was a bad idea, since the center was at a public university, and was intended to serve a diverse set of families in the community. The name was problematic because Brother Packer has forcefully spoken out against interracial and gay families in the past. It is possible to respect Boyd K. Packer as a person, and as a religious leader, without believing that it is a good idea to put his name on a family outreach center at a public university, given his past statements and views that oppose the loving families of so many.

Inspired by her letter, I wrote my first Change petition about this issue, borrowing many of her thoughts on the matter. The petition currently has 2,316 signatures.

Shairylann's husband is on the faculty at Weber State University in the College of Education where the Packer Center is housed. When the name of the center was first announced, Jared Lisonbee suggested that naming the center after Brother Packer would alienate many of the very families that the center was intended to serve. He was the only member of the faculty at the meeting to express such obvious concerns.

It has recently come to my attention that Jared has now been removed from his position at the University, and all indications are that his removal was a result of his opposition to the naming of the family center, and of his wife's letter to the editor, and the resulting petition. I believe that this is a morally reprehensible action. If dissenting voices cannot even be heard at a public university, for fear of retaliation that might cost the person their job, then how can an open and free dialogue on the issues be maintained? I believe that this is a severe miscarriage of justice, and, if things are as they strongly appear, this is an apparent attempt by an individual to impose their vision of a harmful and hurtful religious orthodoxy on others at what is supposed to be a public university.

With permission, I would like to quote the letter Shairylann wrote with her initial reaction to the firing of her husband:
"I'm in shock. My husband just lost his job over the naming of the Boyd K. Packer center at Weber State University. He is an assistant professor at Weber in the College of Education - the college responsible for the Packer center. Last year in the faculty meeting where the name for the family center was announced, he was THE ONLY person who protested the naming, mentioning that Packer was not viewed as friendly toward gays, academicians, feminists, and interracial couples. Since then, his department chair became increasingly hostile, making off-handed comments toward him like "You know, Weber State is not a good fit for everyone." On May 6th I wrote my letter to the editor that was published, criticizing naming the Weber's family center after Boyd K. Packer. I shouldn't have. Yesterday, out of the blue, my husband received a letter telling him that his contract would not be renewed, giving no reasons for the decision. It is so obviously related to our opposition to the naming of the Packer Center, but I doubt we could ever prove it. He is going to talk to people today about making a possible case for religious discrimination, but I'm sure we our going to be jobless in the end, and he will have an ugly professional strike against him. I hate that there is no real protection from the church in this state."

Obviously I am very unhappy with what has happened here, and I also feel somewhat responsible, because I am the one that took her original letter to the editor, and turned it into a petition, that eventually ended up in the news, and that produced some bad press for Weber State, a result that may have partially motivated these reprehensible actions. Nevertheless, I feel like we have done the right thing here, despite the price that some have been forced to pay for speaking up.

I would encourage everyone here to again take up the petition, and pass it around among all of your friends and family. Letting the faculty and administrators at Weber State know that there really are a large number of people who oppose their actions and decisions on this matter.

Please pass this on to those that you know, and spread the word.
Thank you,
James L. Carroll

This is awful!

Do you have links?

I found this: (close, but no mention of Lisonbee & wife)

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56380940-78/center-packer-state-family.html.csp

Ya know, after reading the article, I hate to say it, but it makes sense. Business sense, anyway. They are about getting the funds to build and run the thing and its programs. It's Utah. Where does the money come from? Bigots, homophobes and misogynists. So name the thing after the most well-known bigot, homophobe and misogynist in the state.

I have to admit, I'd be more likely to donate to the Tom Phillips Center For Evolutionary Studies than to the Tom Monson Ear-Wiggling Institute, which would for sure get more donations in the state of Utah.

The church has made donations to WSU. We get the WSU alumni magazine and the annual one listing their donors has listed the church as a donor with a sizeable donation. I was surprised to see the church as a donor to WSU. Money will buy loyalty.

No link, this should make news tonight or tomorrow (if WSU doesn't get back a statement in time) on Fox or Channel 2.

This a disgusting abuse of power by the SLC lds church.

What small minded, petty , stupid men the General A's are and will continue to be since they live inside a bubble of fear that they purchase with money they steel in tithing from people they knowingly deceive.

Packers name on any university is a crime of syntax and a affront to any civilization.

Packer himself may be behind it. I believe that he's that big an asshole.

+1,000,000,000

You would think stealing One million dollars in tithing money as a commission on the land used for the Brigham city temple would be enough for packer for a while, but no he has to stick his nose in Weber's business.

Every rational, honest person should think of leaving Utah and leave the Mormons to stew in their own juices of ignorance and hatred.

Only in Mormonism could a person that says the truth is not useful could describe himself as a teacher and educator.

To be fair most buildings on the Provo campus are also named after men with very questionable pasts.

BYU is church owned. It is expected BYU would use the names of men the church considers religious and moral Mormon heroes not as an example of fairness.

"Every rational, honest person should think of leaving Utah and leave the Mormons to stew in their own juices of ignorance and hatred"

The Salt Lake Valley is the exmo capitol of the world. Ogden is a very non-LDS area as well. I'm both rational and honest and I'm sticking around.

There are more of us than there are of them.

I believe you and certainly many great posters and resources for truth are based in Utah.

Are former Mormons or people who have opinions other than the Mormon party line able to provide an example or two of a political or social victory in opposition to Mormonism in Utah?

Utah is the source of exported Mormonism, it would be nice to see a sign or two that it is being challenged effectively in its' base. The consequences can be easily demonstrated by Prop 8 and Mitt for president, marginalizing Mormonism will require it to lose some of the political and financial power that it has acquired from being based in Utah.

Utah is the source of the cancer. I am tired of Mormonism being part of the background music of my time, it can be ignored to a point, but it has a loud, obnoxious voice, especially in the West. Shutting it up in Utah, in cases such as the one presented by OP would be refreshing. If there is opposition in Utah to Morminism, what are the best examples of it being effective?

Here is a good example:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53736564-78/bill-veto-governor-herbert.html.csp

Thousands and thousands of people, mostly non Mormons or progressive Mormons, rallied against this one.

I'll be more specific. Here are some Mormon originated/core issues that would be nice to have addressed by Utahns, with support from outsiders, not the other way around. I don't celebrate Utah joining the United States as it was in the 70's in 2013.

Polygamy, polygyny, child abuse--tax funds supporting these communities

Appropriateness of released-time seminary (stop or mandate honest histories, not cult indoctrination/socialization time on us)

A bill that requires any government authority and employee with budgetary discretion(attorney, politician, judge, probation officer, police and fire, child protective services, university professor) to disclose an affiliation as a Church leader that might bias them in the proper performance of their duties to all Utahns. Penalties and crimes can be put in place where there is proof of bias the favors their religious community's interest over the general community interests.

Taxing or requiring fees from Church organizations that rely upon public resources--fire, police, street cleaners, snow plows--for their operations.

Home schooling curriculum certification and accreditation by non-religious third party organizations. If home schooling is provided, lifestyle checks by non-biased, accountable government officials. No funds provided or deductions allowed to anyone that operates outside of best practice requirements. No cult or doctrinal subsidies by the state.

Requiring disclosure of finances of religious organizations in order to receive public resources.

Those are a few leadership examples, polygamy is a bit of a stretch, because US citizens shouldn't have to beg Utahns to find this repulsive, but we do and must. Please stop that one anytime, if you have influence to get sex education taught in your schools, you must have influence to reign in polygamy.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/2013 05:37PM by gentlestrength.

I would say that a lot of these issues are not Utah or Mormon based. Child abuse, the tax exempt status of churches, financial disclosure, and homeschooling are all non-Utah problems.

Polygamy should be addressed and fought more, I agree. Utahs do despise it and honestly I'm not sure of the ins and outs of why polygamy laws haven't been enforced. Release time is another thing we should examine more but nobody does.

However, politically I do not support forcing the Mormon church, or any other church, to disclose their financial status though when they spend money they should pay taxes on the money spent. I also don't feel like government employees should have to disclose anything about their life.

Looks like we have a mixed bag of opinions here.

I sure don't want a Mormon bishop judging whether or not a wealthy Mormon in good standing is a pedophile, or drunk driver, or MLM fraudster.

I know the Mormon church and its' loyalties and it is not to law.

If getting sex education in Utah is hard, then celebrate though. I was implying what Might be considered to be heavy lifting.

What other state in the union is closer to a theocracy than Utah? The Mormon Taliban. if it werent for federal pressures, I have no soubt it would be much more fundamentalist in its' laws and enforcements. That is why Utahns sorting out the issues between church and state would be most valuable. It is not proper to keep expecting Oregon and California to lead the way, these are secular states and can better spend their efforts on environmental, war complex, and international economics issues.

We have recently seen Utah stick its' nose in California business, maybe it should figure put polygamy in order first.

Utah is run by Mormons, what is the dissent there. We should teach that the earth wasn't created in six days, really that's where the issues between Mormons and non-Mormons lie?

You are right, stopping child abuse would be heavy lifting. I'm just confused about why that is part of your question about what Utahns are doing to stop the Mormon church.

"What other state in the union is closer to a theocracy than Utah?"

Soooo many states in the U.S. are more religious than Utah and govern according to their religious ideals. I think we could lump the entirety of the south into this category.

"We have recently seen Utah stick its' nose in California business, maybe it should figure put polygamy in order first."

Maybe I haven't seen this in the news. What is Utah doing to California?

Which ones have an all Same religion representation in US Congress?

You can be specific if you want. I know the answer. Utah is the most theocratic state in the Union. I say that as fact, not opinion.

Fact huh? No, sorry. Your own bias is getting in the way here.

Compare Utah's state legislators (26% Mormon) to Mississippi's state legislators (90% Protestant)

http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/legisdata/legislator-demographic-map.aspx

http://www.pewforum.org/how-religious-is-your-state-.aspx

North Korea, China, Utah......

Oh my heck. Ogden is my home town. Why is it I long to go back there but, feel I just can't because I would never fit it. What a conflicted love/hate relationship I have with my home town and my Alma mater.

I want to scream!!!!

I'm surprised that this hasn't been in the news yet.

When I went to WSU most of the professors I had were non/ex-Mormon. Most of the college of education professors I had were non/ex-Mormon as well. I can't believe that they didn't speak out either.

Makes me mad.

IF Packer had any class, which he does not, he would realize the polarizing nature of his name and the negative effect it would have on the family center. He would then withdraw his name, and let the mission of the facility be the center of attention...not his name.

But he has no class. He will not do the right thing.

He loves himself, his legacy and his church above all.

A pompous, arrogant, grouchy old man, he just can't do the right thing...ever.

Normally it takes a sizable donation to have a building named after you at a public university...say $2M+. Did Packer make a large donation to earn this accolade?

Is it wrong he was fired? Of course. But he must a be a very naive man and his wife is more so. In academia, you are an Asst. Prof. until you are tenured 7 years later. During those 7 years you better follow blindly. Tenured and senior professors could get away with this controversy, but an untenured Professor just wrote his own pink slip.

Is it wrong? Yes. Is it a fact this happens? YES!

When it is clear to an Asst. Prof. they cannot work in the environment OR will not get tenure, they need to find another job fast. Failed tenure is the kiss of death in an academic career.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2013 04:05PM by laurel.

Thanks for spreading the word on this. Yes, it is ahuge miscarriage of justice and I believe it is religious discrimination. I admire them both for standing up to discrimination and intolerance. I lived near Weber once and I can only imagine what Nonmormons must deal with there as in all places practically in Utah. So gald we left.

You really do have to pick your battles carefully. Too bad a mentor couldn't clue the Lisonbee's into the consequences before they made a public stand. My motto is "Work on things you can do something about." Clearly they could not do anything about the decision that was already made.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/2013 01:21AM by laurel.

I suggest someone local contact the local media to ensure they are aware. They may be being muzled by their editors, but at least be sure they have the basics for a story.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/2013 11:04AM by Twinker.

Ya, I read that the other day and I live within a mile of campus. But the mormons don't intrude, right? They play fair.

FUCK THEM and fuck the Packer family. I'm going to school somewhere else because of this actually.