Ousted Cal State Fullerton teacher revises oath of loyalty

People For the American Way, a Washington-based civil rights group now representing lecturer Wendy Gonaver, called on the university to reinstate her and adopt a policy protecting the religious freedom of all California State University system employees.

"She is willing to sign the oath as long as she can exercise her free-speech rights and note that her views as a Quaker would prevent her from taking up arms," said Kathryn Kolbert, president of the organization and a constitutional lawyer. "We would like to avoid filing a lawsuit, but we are certainly prepared to do so if we need to."

The loyalty oath was added to the California Constitution in 1952 to drive communists out of public jobs but in recent years it has forced out religious believers such as Quakers and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Gonaver was hired to teach classes in American and women's studies at Fullerton this academic year. But in August, just before classes were to start, she was told of the state requirement that she sign the oath promising to defend the U.S. and California constitutions "against all enemies, foreign and domestic."

A pacifist, she feared that signing the oath could commit her to bear arms. She said she would sign the pledge if she could submit a statement of her beliefs, a practice allowed at the University of California. But Cal State officials rejected her request, saying the addendum she proposed was illegal.

After the Los Angeles Times reported on Gonaver's case a week ago, People For the American Way offered to represent her. Kolbert said the U.S. has a long history of religious freedom and that the university should protect civil liberties.

"This nation was founded by people who came here to escape religious persecution," she said. "These are traditional American values that have been around as long as our country has been here."

Christine Helwick, general counsel for the 23-campus Cal State system, said in an e-mail Thursday that the university now was willing to work with Gonaver and her attorneys.

"The campus is now going to engage her in an interactive process to see if her issues with the Constitutionally mandated oath can be resolved," Helwick said.