Gender suit against Southwestern continues

FORT WORTH, Texas — The judge in a federal employment lawsuit against Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and its president has ruled the case may proceed with an amended complaint against the school. Also, in court documents filed Sept. 14 in U.S. District Court in Fort Worth, Judge John McBryde noted that due to the additional complaint, the seminary’s request for dismissal of the case is moot — a move that drew a different interpretation from each camp.

The plaintiff, former Southwestern theology professor Sheri L. Klouda, claims she was wrongly denied tenure because she is a woman after being hired for a tenure-track position in 2002. The seminary, which has changed leadership since Klouda’s hiring, said her tenure denial is consistent with a policy enacted after her hiring that, for doctrinal reasons, the teaching of men in theology classes should be done by men. The lawyers for the seminary and for Klouda expressed optimism at the judge’s ruling Sept. 14.

Gary Richardson, a Tulsa, Okla., attorney representing Klouda, told the Southern Baptist TEXAN, “I think [Southwestern] very much thought [the motion to dismiss] would be the end of the case and, of course, we very much believe that we have a legal basis to keep the case alive and keep it moving.” Richardson said he is “cautiously optimistic.” But seminary attorney Shelby Sharpe said the decision to refuse dismissal of the case has nothing to do with the merits of the suit.