A former newspaper editor has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claiming that the he was terminated from his job due to his religious beliefs. During his employment as editor of the Newton Daily News, Bob Eschliman earned seven journalism awards, and a total of seventy awards throughout his career. According to this recent article, despite his accomplished career, Eschliman has had difficulty finding employment since his controversial departure from the Newton Daily News.
In April of this year, Eshliman authored a personal blog post criticizing a website that is focused on rewriting the Bible to make it more gay friendly. Eshliman accused the “Gaystopo” of attempting “to make their sinful nature right with God.” As a result of the blog post, Eshliman’s former employer at first suspended him without pay and ultimately terminated his employment.
In the paper’s editorial addressing the editor’s termination, John Rung stated, “Last week, he expressed an opinion in his personal blog that in no way reflects the opinion of the Newton Daily News or Shaw Media.” Further stating, “While he is entitled to his opinion, his public airing of it compromised the reputation of this newspaper and his ability to lead it.”
Former U.S. Attorney and attorney for Eshliman, Matt Whitaker stated, “No one should be fired for simply expressing his religious beliefs. In America it is against the law to fire an employee for expressing a religious belief in public.”
If you or someone you know thinks they have been wrongfully terminated or their civil rights have been violated, the team at Radford & Keebaugh can help. Contact us by phone at (678) 369-3609 or use our contact form.