Professor Loses Job Over Divorce

George said students had been debating Gramm's departure, but that demonstrations remained confined to one pro-Gramm editorial in the school newspaper and a petition set up online through Facebook.

George studied under Gramm, taking a class on Mark Twain which he called "life-changing."

Much of the campus-wide debate centers on where the line between one's personal and professional life should be drawn when living in a Christian community.

"I think there is a line between the personal and professional," George said. "Dr. Gramm has every right not to talk and I support his decision. At the same time Wheaton is a Christian community. If one member of community is unwilling to talk about his personal life, then how are others excepted to help him."

Emma Van Hoozer, a 20-year-old junior theology major, said people's personal lives need to be made public to keep them accountable.

"In our culture divorce doesn't seem serious because we're so used to seeing it, but when you read scripture, you realize we should be much more shocked. We should stop and realize its seriousness," she said. "To be a Christian community, everything needs be public so we can be accountable to each other. The rule seems to be pretty fair because [Gramm] had the chance explain himself."

Generally, discrimination even at a private college is illegal under federal law, said Michael Gold, a professor of labor law at Cornell University, but there is an exception for religious beliefs.

"Title VII specifically exempts religious institutions, including colleges," Gold said. "Thus, Wheaton was free to enforce its religious beliefs against the professor."

According to the school's Web site: "Wheaton College complies with federal and state requirements for non-discrimination on the basis of handicap, sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin in admission and access to its programs and activities."

The disclaimer does not, however, mention religion.

"To not include 'religion' in that statement was clearly intentional," Gold said.