ST. PAUL, Minn. — A former art instructor who showed images of the Prophet Muhammad in class has sued Hamline University, saying administrators defamed her and reneged on an offer to teach in the spring semester.
Attorneys for Erika López Prater announced Tuesday that she had sued the university for defamation, religious discrimination and breach of contract, among other things. Less than two hours later, the university's president and board chair said in a joint statement that they had "learned much" about Islam and that the previous decision to describe the incident as Islamophobic was "flawed."
The St. Paul private college found itself at the center of a painful debate over academic freedom and religious tolerance this month as news of the university's decision not to renew López Prater's contract spread across the globe.
