Legislators Call for Resignation of U-T Knoxville Chancellor

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF-TV) – Some Tennessee lawmakers are demanding the resignation of the Chancellor of U-T Knoxville.
An on-line memo this week from the university’s office of diversity advised employees to make sure their holiday celebrations aren’t Christmas parties "in disguise".
That riled some powerful state leaders.

SEN. MIKE BELL, (R) RICEVILLE "I was speechless."

State Senator Mike Bell was not only speechless—he was furious.

SEN. MIKE BELL "I could not believe that…especially in light of what’s gone on the last couple of years with the debacle over sex week, then foolishness over the gender neutral pronouns that they put out a few months ago…and now we have the same group telling us that …managers and supervisors shouldn’t display any endorsement of religion."

Legislators say they had assurances this year from U.T. Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy Cheek that everything coming out of the Office of Diversity will have his stamp of approval.

SEN. "BO" WATSON "I don’t think its the job of the legislature to micro-manage the university, but this the second incident for this particular department witin in the past year..of what many of us will perceive to be poor judgement."

The vice chancellor of the office of diversity defends the policies—pointing out that there are Christmas decorations in his office.

RICKY HALL, VICE CHANCELLOR, OFFICE OF DIVERSITY "I’m not anti-Christmas, I’m pro-inclusion."

But Bell isn’t backing down.

SEN. BELL "When I saw that I contacted the chairman of the senate education committee, Senator Delores Gresham, and she and I together decided to issue a news release yesterday calling on chancellor Cheek to resign."

SEN. "BO" WATSON, (R) HIXSON "I think its another example of the University trying to look so brilliant…that to the everyday citizen, they look stupid.

SEN. BELL "Now how can you have a Christmas party without referencing religion or culture?"

Chancellor Cheek has issued a statement defending the memo. It reads:
"As a diverse campus, we do promote ways to be inclusive of all cultures and religious. I am disappointed that our efforts to be inclusive have been totally misconstrued."