Loading ...The Kevin Youngblood Mystery
Over the holidays, I noticed that some people discovered my blog with the search terms of “Kevin Youngblood Fired.” This was stocking to me as well as puzzling. At first, I did not pay much attention to the search terms, but than I was invited to a Kevin Youngblood support group. I clicked on the link and discovered the Kevin was cut from the Freed-Hardeman staff along with 17 other employees. At first, it seemed that because of the economy that FHU had to make some cuts to the staff to balance the budget. But always in the back of my mind I wondered if this was the true reason for his dismissal. During my time at FHU, Kevin was my teacher once (Greek Readings Class). He was an amazing teacher with a deep theological understanding of the text. In fact, he was one of the best in seeing the connection of a particular text with the general story of the Bible. But throughout the class, I realized that Kevin was of a different mold than the majority of the professors on staff. He really did not fit into the FHU culture, but would have been more in line with the Lipscomb environment. This made me wonder about the reason for his dismissal from the staff. Upon some further research into this mystery, I discovered that Kevin was the only profession to be fired before the Christmas break and he will be paid throughout the Spring semester which seems odd for a budget cut. If he was cut for financial reasons, why not use him on the staff since he is being paid. From some appearances this looks like a budget cut, which is a unfortunately reality of running a university but from other points of view this is a firing for some reason, perhaps doctrinal. Kevin is a friend and a great professor and I just want the truth, not spin, but the truth of the background for his dismal.
Related posts:
- That, The, Our, and My Preacher–Part 1
- Praise to Preachers
- Philip Fulmer and Preachers being Fired
- Scholarly Articles-Pain or Pleasure
- Code Words in The Churches of Christ
About The Author
I know when my friend Jerry Jones was fired from Harding when he was the Bible Dept. head it was because he refused to participate in the way they were recruiting athletes. But the University would never admit it. This was a long time ago. But literally overnight he found himself without a job and a black cloud over his head and unable to get a job in the brotherhood. Many times in these circumstances the truth is at the bottom of a big black hole. The institution whether church or brotherhood organization will not really divulge the whole situation because it saves face for the intuition. This is big problem in our brotherhood. Protect the institution at all costs seems to be the modus operandi for many churches, schools of preaching, and universities. I hope the truth comes out. I have realized that in these situations you have to ask the person who was fired what really happened to get anything close to the truth.
Not to be rude but Joe, don’t you know that anytime you go to a person who has been fired you’d never get anything but the absolute truth. I don’t know you and am not trying to be ugly but live in a real world yourself. Not saying Kevin would, for from what I know from him he would not lie, BUT I’ve found much more often that the person who has been fired is not honest about the dismissal than the one/ones who dismissed him.
I do believe, though I could be incorrect that one and maybe two other professors contracts were not renewed. I know it may just be semantics BUT I think it does sound better ever for Kevin to say it that way. Plus, in my dealings with both LU and FHU unless it is an extreme case they do not fire they just don’t renew a contract.
I know people on both sides of this situation, people I love, so I would not want to get in the middle. But it does seem from even those who love Kevin that he would be a better fit elsewhere. And from FHU’s standpoint it seems very fair in dismissing a person for them to pay him for nearly a half a year not expecting him to work for them, giving him freedom to find another place. If someone “allowed me to leave”, especially a situation I was not content in and paid me several months salary to do so, I think I would appreciate it.
Dale, I believe you are right, whatever happened it was fair and right for them to provide for his family for the extra semester, also in a way it is best for it to be seen as budget cuts and not any other issue. Also, Kevin is a good man that would not want to hurt anyone, so he would not want to say anything negative about FHU.
Dale let me clear something up. I have worked professionally both in and out of ministry within the churches of Christ. So has most of my family. My Grand father taught at SIBI for 20+ years. My other Grandfather was on the board of OCU for 30 years. So I know how brotherhood institutions can treat people. I was not questioning Kevin’s integrity. Any way what I was trying to say is when someone is severed professionally in a secular job it seems that you get a much more straight up reason than someone who is severed from a church of Christ brotherhood institution. It took 18 years for Harding to admit why they fired Jerry Jones. Why? Because they had a winning football team NAIA champions. They wanted to save face unlike the secular business. I don’t know Kevin. I think the best of people automatically. All I am saying is that if you went and spoke to him you might learn a little more about the situation than FHU is willing to admit. Especially if it was a petty doctrinal reason that may embarrass the institution. FHU is a relatively conservative school theologically. I am not speculating about what is happening at FHU but I know that at ACU in the early 90’ there was a significant change in professorship. Most of the more traditional and conservative professors went to Harding, OCU, Faulkner U, HU, and FHU. The opposite may happening there at FHU since they are a more traditional institution, I don’t know. They may be cleaning house so that they remain a traditional died in the wool church of Christ institution theologically. I know that Harding and OCU have gone through similar transitions.
Joe are you indicting your grandfather’s? Did they mistreat brethren? Died in the wool church of Christ institution theologically? You have a “bunch” of heritage with the churches of Christ and still you don’t seem to know much about her?
Sonny,
No I don’t believe they mistreated anyone. I was simply showing affiliation because there were people at the schools of preaching and University level that did mistreat people. Please don’t insult me. I know just about as much as anyone else about the churches of Christ. Just because I don’t agree with some of the theology and other things does not make me ignorant or stupid. I am thankful for my heritage and the basic foundation but I am not blindly loyal to intuitions or theology or patterns of thought.
Thanks,
JB
Matthew,
I am sure Kevin knows, but ACU just placed an ad in the latest Christian Chronicle looking for an Assitant/Associate Professor of Bible. If Dr. Youngblood would better fit in the Lipscomb Culture, then he would probably fit well in the ACU Bible faculty.
I do think it seems a bit strange for a university to be dimissing a teacher for budget reasons while it also is running an advertisement in the Christian Chronicle for two more teaching positions (in the School of Business and the School of Education).
Grace and peace,
Rex
at what point has FHU said it was dismissing anyone for budget cuts? I may be wrong but I think they said they actually created 5 new positions and laid off 18 “as a part of a restructuring. Sometimes the problem is not what is said but what others say that then becomes “fact” and others run with it.
Here is part of the statements: This is all about the students and looking to see how we can be more efficient and serve them better,” Davis said Tuesday evening.
Davis said he did not have a list of the exact positions eliminated but they came from every division within the university. He declined to name the employees.
Some of the 18 employees had their last day on Tuesday while others will serve the rest of their contracts, ending in May 2009. Others will be reassigned to new positions within the university.
The employees terminated on Tuesday will receive severance compensation packages, Davis said. He did not know whether the university’s human resources department would work with the employees to help them find new positions.
“This decision is not a reflection of the work of these FHU employees, but rather a decision to make Freed-Hardeman more efficient,” said Joe Wiley, president of Freed-Hardeman, in a news release on Tuesday.
Davis said the board of trustees asked Wiley to look at university spending to see if there were ways to be more efficient when he became president in April.
DALE HERE: NOTICE THIS:
“The job cuts did not directly relate to the economy, Davis said, and stressed the institution is extremely strong.
It had a record enrollment this fall and a record fund-raising event in December.”
Kevin was not dismissed for budget reasons nor for anything having to do with the so called reorganization. He was fired because the same ones who have been trying to get rid of him from the moment he was hired were allowed to do so by a new president who has yet to figure out all of the church politics and doctrinal spats that consume Freed-Hardeman.
Dale, you are obviously taking everything FHU is spitting out regarding this at face value. Beleive me, I can get much more specific about all of this, but I am not sure if it is worth it or not.
The bottom line is that Kevin was hired to give some balance to the FHU Bible faculty, but those whom he was supposed to balance out managed to run him out of the school. President Joe Wiley messed up badly on this. He might later realize that.
Let’s see, Mr. iknowfhu who wouldn’t even identify yourself. I love that about the internet…anonymity makes everyone a big man. And, if you think I take everything FHU says and just swallow it, you don’t know me nor do you read my post. I did my best to be fair to both sides. Is it possible that someone knows more about what happened than an anonymous poster on a blog. And, I doubt you know why I would know a lot about this matter. But I am friends with Kevin and with some on the other side of this. Again, the truth is Kevin knew where this was heading and while I want the very best for him I don’t think that would have been for him to continue at FHU…I suspect he would agree with that. If not now in 5 to 10 years.
Excuse me iknowfhu and Dale, but I cannot tell who either one of you are. It looks to me like you are both posting anonymously.
I would make one point here. Dale said, “it seems very fair in dismissing a person for them to pay him for nearly a half a year not expecting him to work for them.”
This is not as nice as it might seem. Professors sign contracts for at least one academic year. The fact that FHU is continuing to pay him is because FHU would be in violation of the contract if they did not continue to pay him because they had no valid reason to void the contract.
Sorry not trying to post anonymously here. I did think my website showed up http://www.dalejenkins.com …
On a note about Dale, he is one of the most insightful ministers that I know. He was one of the few people I contacted about moving to Castle Rock, because he understands the dynamics of church better than most. He comes from a long, long, list of preachers. If there is one person who understands how the church works, it is Dale. He is one of the wisest preachers I know.
This is an interesting and intriguing exchange, but I have a few questions.
Matthew said, “I hope the truth comes out.”
Dale said, “But it does seem from even those who love Kevin that he would be a better fit elsewhere.”
It sounds like Dale knows something of exactly why Kevin was dismissed. If so, I wish he would expound on it. What exactly is it about FHU that it finds it cannot tolerate to have on its Bible faculty someone who, by all accounts, is a fine man and a very good Bible scholar?
Matthew then says in response to Dale: “Dale, I believe you are right, whatever happened it was fair and right for them to provide for his family for the extra semester, also in a way it is best for it to be seen as budget cuts and not any other issue.”
Now I am confused as to what Matthew really wants. He says on the one hand that he wants the truth to come out. However, on the other hand, he says it is best for it “to be seen as budget cuts and not any other issue.” So, which is it? Do you want to know the truth or do you want it to be seen as budget cuts?
Dale then says in response to all of this: “at what point has FHU said it was dismissing anyone for budget cuts? I may be wrong but I think they said they actually created 5 new positions and laid off 18 “as a part of a restructuring.” Dale then goes on to quote parts of FHU’s press release to support the contention that this was merely a restructuring. However, in a later post, Dale adds the following: “the truth is Kevin knew where this was heading and while I want the very best for him I don’t think that would have been for him to continue at FHU”
So, what does that last quote mean? I get the feeling that Dale does not believe Kevin was let go because of budget cuts and it does not sound like he believes FHU’s own press release that makes it appear as if everyone was let go as part of a restructuring.
It just seems to me there is a lot under the surface here bubbling up in some of the comments of others, but never being stated explicitly.
Just asking, you have a strong ability to observe. Great points. I cannot speak for Dale, but whatever Dale states, I know he has the best in his heart, but as for me, the double back on the truth is this, if it comes out that it is doctrinal this might hurt Kevin because of how churches or leadership in churches treat him. In a way, a budget cut saves a reputation. I like to know the truth, but in another way, I want what is best for Kevin.
Matthew, I am not questioning anything regarding you and Dale regarding your motives, I was just making some observations based upon the posts.
I do really question the FHU press release and the way this was done with Dr. Youngblood. I would hope others would insist that the truth be told as to why this was done. I suspect it was done for “doctrinal reasons,” but I also suspect those reasons would do nothing to hurt Kevin with most. From all accounts, this is a first-rate Biblical scholar FHU has lost, a naturally-gifted teacher, and a very effective speaker. Kevin will land on his feet; hopefully he will be picked up by one of the other Church of Christ schools, but it may be that he goes in another direction.
The real problem here is what exactly is up with Freed-Hardeman. If it is true that certain ones were pressing to get rid of Kevin as soon as he was hired, then that is a real problem and does not speak well for the situation there. What exactly is going on there?
I never thought you were questioning the motivates, I just wanted to make sure I spoke highly of my friend Dale. I pray that all is well and God will provide, as He always does. I hope he stays within the churches of Christ universities, I really liked him.
Have you all read any of the blogs with what is going on in Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA? These situations are never good for those who work in the recruiting department at the seminary.
-Rex
Guess who went to school at Westminster?
Let me preface my remarks by stating the obvious – I know absolutely nothing about this situation. In fact, I wasn’t even aware that Kevin Youngblood was no longer at FHU until I read Matthew’s blog.
But it seems to me that IF (notice the “if”) Kevin was actually “let go” for doctrinal reasons, and it was stated as being a “budget matter” or “restructuring” or whatever, that somebody at FHU simply isn’t being honest. If it’s doctrinal, then say so. And if it’s not a doctrinal matter that’s serious enough to warrant saying so publicly, then don’t fire him. But don’t play semantic games and brotherhood politics.
I find this a very interesting post. First of all, my heart goes out to anyone who is fired from a place in the brotherhood. It happened to me four years ago because, after 12 years, I got on the wrong side of the young married group. It happens. The problem comes when you go looking for another place. Unless your former employer steps up and recommends you, you could have trouble. Nobody wants to hire a troublemaker and all the next group may see is that you were dismissed from your last position. So, hopefully, wherever our brother ends up, it will be a blessing for him and hopefully FHU will step up and recommend him. Again, thanks to all for the interesting posts.
To Joe: I thought your name was familiar. I am older and come from a time when SIBI carried a lot of weight. I loved listening to Richard Rogers and Jimmy McGuiggan. I was part of the “discipling movement” about the time that Jerry Jones was let go from Harding. Our understanding was that he was let go because the powers that be did not like his close associations with those in the Crossroads/Boston movements. So, thanks for bringing another point of view.