A Florida college professor has been placed on leave for allegedly trying to force her students to sign a pledge promising they would vote for President Obama in November.
Mathematics professor Sharon Sweet of Brevard Community College has requested, and been granted, a leave of absence after telling students to vote for President Obama and "Democrats up and down the ticket." Steve Crampton of Liberty Counsel is not surprised by her actions.
"Our experience with the education system in many cases reflects a growing bend toward the left among professors and the administrations of our institutions," he accounts. "Inevitably, I guess, it's going to work its way out in the classroom."
Though Sweet may have violated election laws, Crampton doubts she will be prosecuted.
"It may be different if this were a very conservative professor who was asking students to sign a pledge to vote Republican in the upcoming election … because most of the faculty and overseers are probably Democratically inclined to begin with," the attorney suggests. "There's going to be less desire to see this through on an ultimate prosecution."
University officials have launched an investigation and are interviewing all members of Sweet's class.