Seton Hall
demotes dean critical of church's stance on homosexuality

A gay associate dean at Seton Hall University, a Roman Catholic institution in South Orange, N.J., has been demoted after criticizing the church's position on homosexuality, according to published reports. A letter written by W. King Mott, 44, who has been an associate dean at the school for three years, was published October 19 in The Star-Ledger of Newark. Mott, who is gay and said he lives with his partner, wrote in the letter that that the Catholic Church is unfairly attacking gay men and making them scapegoats for the church's pedophilia scandal. The following day, the school's dean, Molly Smith, asked Mott to step down, saying he had confused his position with the university's by writing in his letter that he is an associate dean at the school, Mott and a university spokesman told The Star-Ledger for Friday newspapers. Mott, who has been working at Seton Hall for the past seven years, said a university should be a place for free expression of ideas but also said he holds no ill will toward Smith. "She works for a Roman Catholic institution," Mott said. "If the church didn't have this position [against homosexuality], no dean would have to be so guarded on this issue." A university spokesman, Tom White, said it was "inappropriate" for Mott to speak against the Catholic Church or its policies while identifying himself as part of Seton Hall's administration. Mott said next Friday will be his last day as an associate dean, and although he also teaches in the school's political science department, Mott said he will begin looking for a new job. (AP)