Oct 30, 2005 / 22:00 pm
An associate dean at Seton Hall University has been demoted after publicly stating that the Catholic Church is unfairly attacking homosexuals and making them scapegoats for the sex-abuse scandal.
W. King Mott, who is openly homosexual and lives with his partner, published his views in a letter that appeared in The Star-Ledger of Newark Oct. 19.
The following day, the school's dean, Molly Smith, asked Mott to step down, saying it was inappropriate for the associate dean to publish his comments while identifying himself as part of the administration at the Catholic university, reported The Star-Ledger.
Mott has been working at Seton Hall for the last seven years, three of them as associate dean. The 44 year old said he believes a university should be a place for free expression of ideas but he holds no ill will toward Smith.
Mott said 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 would begin looking for a new job.