Trinity Christian College: Professor Fired for ‘Unprofessional’ Tweets

In April 2021, Trinity Christian College administrators called professor Melissa Vanden Bout into a meeting over “significant concerns” about her social media posts. Vanden Bout tweeted about hot-button social issues, including one tweet reading “Fuck the police.” On May 7, Trinity notified Vanden Bout it would not renew her contract, citing the “mode and manner of [her] public engagement.” On May 18, FIRE wrote privately to Trinity, calling on it to follow its own policies promising that faculty retain the ability to speak as citizens, and to reinstate Vanden Bout. On May 28, Trinity responded, disputing FIRE’s interpretation of the college’s policies and relying on its status as a private, religious institution to justify its actions. On June 7, FIRE countered, highlighting again Trinity’s promises that it has failed to honor. On February 22, 2023, FIRE publicized the details of Vanden Bout’s case to highlight the issues faculty face at private colleges and universities.