Faculty of William Mitchell College of Law Passes Resolution to Oppose Proposed Amendment Limiting the Freedom to Marry
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kate Brickman, Press Secretary
Phone Number: 815-343-9299
April 11, 2012 – St. Paul, MN – Minnesotans United for All Families is pleased at news of the recent vote by faculty at the William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul to publicly oppose the proposed constitutional amendment to limit the freedom to marry for committed same-sex couples.
The faculty voted 24 to seven to pass the resolution opposing the amendment Wednesday morning, saying in a statement the amendment “could substantially impair the law school’s ability to recruit and retain the best qualified students, staff, and faculty.”
“With this amendment, our state government threatens the internal affairs of William Mitchell,” said Daniel Kleinberger, Law Professor at William Mitchell. Approval of the amendment threatens the way we teach, it threatens how we recruit faculty, staff and students, and that’s why 24 of us voted that it was something we should speak to as a faculty. In addition, as law professors, we believe strongly this is the wrong way to use a constitution.”
The resolution also encourages faculties at the other three Minnesota law schools to take similar steps in opposing the amendment. It also urges Minnesotans as a whole to vote against the amendment.
William Mitchell President and Dean Eric Janus notified students and staff of the decision today, writing in an email “Mitchell attempts to create a culture that is welcoming and inclusive” and that the faculty resolution recognizes this amendment as counterproductive to those efforts.
This is not the first time the faculty of William Mitchell has spoken out against efforts to limit freedom for gays and lesbians in Minnesota. In 2006 the faculty voted by a substantial majority to pass a resolution opposing a similar proposed constitutional amendment – that proposal was never enacted and brought to the people of Minnesota.
Minnesotans United welcomes William Mitchell College of Law faculty to the coalition, recognizing their continuing role as leaders for law school faculties in Minnesota.
William Mitchell faculty join a robust community of legal educators and professionals opposing the amendment. Law firms including Alexander Law PA and Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP have joined the coalition with Minnesotans United for All Families. More than 700 legal professionals have added their names to the growing list that makes up Lawyers United for All Families, an effort led by Former Vice President Walter F. Mondale and Retired Chief Justice of the Minneapolis Supreme Court Kathleen A. Blatz.
To read the full statement from William Mitchell, please visit:
http://web.wmitchell.edu/news/2012/04/william-mitchell-college-of-law-faculty-opposes-anti-marriage-amendment/
For more information on Lawyers United for All Families, please visit http://mnunited.org/lawyers/
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