We Need to Talk...

Photo Courtesy of The King’s College Faculty Directory

On Monday, Sept. 28, Dr. Paul Mueller decided to teach his in-person classes without a mask, violating COVID-19 guidelines. Dr. Mueller is as Associate Professor of Economics and Department Chair of the Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE) Program at The King’s College. The opinions reflected in this OpEd are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, faculty and students of The King's College.

Dear King’s students and alumni, we need to talk.

We need to talk about our community because of the elephant in the room: many of us struggle to live faithfully in exercising wisdom, courage, and respect when it comes to gossip and social media. This is not a new problem, but it recently resurfaced around my choice to lecture without a facemask or face shield last week. We can have a conversation about the merits or demerits of my choice, but that is not the problem I am addressing here. No, what needs to be called out is that many of us have gone (and often go) straight to others, whether privately, on social media, or in publications like the EST, when we are upset with someone else’s words or actions without showing the courtesy, respect, charity, or desire for reconciliation that we should. 

That poisons community and it undermines trust.

Any problems with my actions on Monday are primarily between me and the students present. If people were confused, worried, angry, or upset by my actions they should have talked with me first as Jesus commands Christians to do in Matthew 18 and as we expect people in the King’s community to do in upholding our honor code. If I and the students involved could not resolve the issue privately in terms of understanding, apology, and reconciliation, then there may be reason to involve the broader King’s community, though not necessarily the entire online world. 

No one raised a concern in person during or after class.

Exactly one student wrote to me with concerns the next day. 

I understand it takes courage to confront someone with authority about our concerns with them. And those with authority also have a responsibility to do what is right. But when people with authority make mistakes or do something that we believe to be wrong, is it right to simply go to social media to express our anger, frustration, or confusion? To make matters worse, my correspondence written to the students involved, explaining my action was posted online and has even made its way into the public record of this venerable institution. 

In neither case was I informed that this would be happening nor was I asked for permission beforehand. And even the courtesy of asking permission to reprint private correspondence for public consumption should have been step 10 in a process that was never even started. My colleagues in journalism may disagree about the importance of courtesy, respect, and privacy when “people want to know!”, but that is a conversation for another time.

Folks, if you can’t tell, I am disappointed – especially with what took place on Twitter. What I saw there was a microcosm of our modern American culture: “Tell us how you feel! Denounce untruths! Call out the bigots! Let people know that their actions are unacceptable and ‘unchristian!’” Do you think that people agreeing with and retweeting our outrage makes us right? 

What drives the dagger even deeper is that many of you who are not in my current classes have had class with me before and have seen how I treat my students. Many of you have been to my home for dinner. You have seen me interact with my wife and children and colleagues. You know I care deeply for others and my students. 

Not even an email asking for clarification? 

No private communication to express concern or confront what you think was unloving, and I trust because you know me, what would seem to be an uncharacteristic act on my part?

I am saddened by what I have seen and heard. Is this what you learned at King’s? Is this what you think pursuing truth, loving God, and living rightly look like? Are you afraid to talk to people you disagree with directly? Or perhaps you think it is beneath you? 

If you like, we can talk publicly about what I did and why now that everything has moved to the public square. You can write op-eds talking about how terrible my decision was and I can respond. Maybe some good will come of it. But perhaps, just maybe, you could take up your concerns with me directly instead of trumpeting them to the world. 

 That is, unless you think I deserve it, and that I deserve condescension, censure, and punishment because I have not done what is right in your eyes. Perhaps you think we should live in a world where we tear people down publicly without attempting to correct them privately first. If so, I hope you will acknowledge, even if just to yourself, that you are a child of cancel culture and not of the kingdom.

Is that too harsh? After all, do I know the state of your soul or your motives? No, but I do have your actions and your words. 

Maybe you think I am missing something about how, and why, and what you posted on social media. Fine, then come talk with me. Perhaps we will find that we both have something to apologize for and maybe we can be reconciled rather than alienated.