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September 3, 2007
by Mike S. Adams, Ph.D.
On April 14, 2004, Mr. Ford visited Professor Trepper's office to ask questions about applying the information from the sex therapy class to different types of clients. He wanted to know how he could apply this knowledge to a patient who has a traditional view of morality - one who follows Biblical moral teachings. As an example, he mentioned the therapeutic approach called "sensate focus," which uses systematic desensitization to help couples achieve coitus. As it teaches individuals to masturbate, a religious person might not use this technique without violating his religion. In response, Professor Trepper asked Mr. Ford whether he would conduct "gay affirmative therapy" or "gay couple therapy." Mr. Ford responded that he would do neither because he did not feel competent to do so. Both clearly violated his faith tradition so, instead, he said he would refer clients requesting such treatment to other therapists. Trepper responded saying: "I just don't know whether you can even be in the program." Later, Professor Trepper asked Mr. Ford: "Didn't you get asked the Mormon scanning question?" Mr. Ford was confused about the phrase "Mormon scanning question," so he asked for elaboration. Trepper explained that "it is a question to determine whether Mormons can get into this program." Mr. Ford immediately recalled all the questions during the admission interviews regarding the alleged ethical issues that confront LDS students as they work with gays. After this interview, Mr. Ford was shocked at the prospect that he could be removed from the program because of his religious beliefs. So, later on April 14, 2004, Mr. Ford called Professor Trepper. During the conversation, Trepper again said: "I am going to have to talk with the faculty about this. I am not sure whether you can be in the program." Mr. Ford then contacted members of the American Association for Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists. Shortly thereafter, he contacted Mr. Larry Crenshaw, a social worker in the Humanitarian and Welfare Office of theLDS Church. Mr. Ford explained that he did not want to compromise his religious values to obtain a degree. Mr. Crenshaw also referred Mr. Ford to Dr. Byrd (featured in Part I of this series). After obtaining advice from Dr. Byrd, Mr. Ford met again with Professor Trepper to reiterate his position regarding therapy that advocates homosexual behavior. Not only did Trepper disagree with Mr. Ford, but he also said: "You are being racist, prejudice, and discriminative[sic]." When Mr. Ford asked how this would affect his standing in the program, Trepper commented: "I don't know." Again following Dr. Byrd's advice, Mr. Ford met with each program faculty member. He summarized his interaction with Professor Trepper, and each faculty member accepted his account without objection or correction. Professor Hecker responded by noting that Mr. Ford stood on solid ethical ground in removing himself from cases that involve therapy advocating homosexual behavior. She even noted that Trepper had "stepped over the line" in his reaction to Ford. Professor Wetchler responded differently to Mr. Ford's account. He said that Mr. Ford had become over anxious and had not handled the situation correctly. He then suggested to Mr. Ford some ways to decrease anxiety when facing "discrimination." Wetchler also advised Mr. Ford to contact several professors in the LDS Church who taught that LDS therapists should conduct sex therapy for same sex couples. These professors also taught that LDS members should support homosexual behavior. On July 7, 2004, Mr. Ford met with Professor Wetchler to discuss possible thesis topics. During the meeting, he proposed several topics, one of which was same-sex parenting. Wetchler became visibly agitated with this idea. When he saw this, Mr. Ford stated that he felt as if Wetchler was not allowing him to explore his options fully and that other faculty members thought this was a viable and reasonable research topic. When Defendant Wetchler heard this, he immediately ended the meeting saying: "Jeff, if you did this, it would be professional suicide." At least two other students were allowed to research thesis topics related to homosexual conduct. Their theses advocated this conduct and treated it as a positive good for individuals and society. The program faculty approved both topics. Mr. Ford, because of his Mormon faith, would have to choose another topic. And his troubles were far from over.
©2007 by Mike S. Adams and reprinted with permission of the author.
Mike S. Adams was born in Columbus, Mississippi on October 30, 1964. While a student at Clear Lake High School in Houston, TX, his team won the state 5A soccer championship. He graduated from C.L.H.S. in 1983 with a 1.8 GPA. He was ranked 734 among a class of 740, largely as a result of flunking English all four years of high school. After obtaining an Associate's degree in psychology from San Jacinto College, he moved on to Mississippi State University where he joined the Sigma Chi Fraternity. While living in the fraternity house, his GPA rose to 3.4, allowing him to finish his B.A., and then to pursue a Master's in Psychology. In 1990, he turned down a chance to pursue a PhD in psychology from the University of Georgia, opting instead to remain at Mississippi State to study Sociology/Criminology. This decision was made entirely on the basis of his reluctance to quit his night job as member of a musical duo. Playing music in bars and at fraternity parties and weddings financed his education. He also played for free beer. Upon getting his doctorate in 1993, Adams, then an atheist and a Democrat, was hired by UNC-Wilmington to teach in the criminal justice program. A few years later, Adams abandoned his atheism and also became a Republican. He also nearly abandoned teaching when he took a one-year leave of absence to study law at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1998. After returning to teach at UNC-Wilmington, Adams won the Faculty Member of the Year award (issued by the Office of the Dean of Students) for the second time in 2000. After his involvement in a well publicized free speech controversy in the wake of the 911 terror attacks, Adams became a vocal critic of the diversity movement in academia. After making appearances on shows like Hannity and Colmes, the O'Reilly Factor, and Scarborough Country, Adams was asked to write a column for the Heritage Foundation's Townhall.com. Today he enjoys the privilege of expressing himself both as a teacher and a writer. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his wife, Krysten. He is also an avid hunter and reader of classic literature. E-mail: adams_mike@hotmail.com
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Politics Resource Center Main Page |
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In
the spring of 2004, Mr. Ford (featured in Part II
of this series) enrolled in Professor Trepper's Sex
Therapy class. Throughout this class, Trepper chose
to approach the subject from a permissive moral
viewpoint. At one point in the semester, he asked
Ms. Rosemary Duffy-Greslo, a student in the
master's program, to teach a three hour class
period. Duffy-Greslo spent the three hour class
period exploring the homosexual political agenda
and how her fellow students could advance it in
America.
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