The attempt to make Dr. Malcolm Yarnell the scapegoat in the humiliating debacle
of Yarnells highly-publicized hiring and subsequent withdrawal from the
presidency of Louisiana College is not surprising
The attempt to make Dr. Malcolm Yarnell the scapegoat in the humiliating debacle
of Yarnells highly-publicized hiring and subsequent withdrawal from the
presidency of Louisiana College is not surprising. That Dr. Yarnell would want
to begin his presidency of LC by getting the board to disobey LCs bylaws
creating additional accreditation problems with SACS seems highly improbable.
Are we really expected to believe that the LC board of trustees, which some
say have disregarded school bylaws, has suddenly “gotten religion?”
Could it be Dr. Yarnell realized that he was dealing with an intransigent board
and opted out of an impossible situation?
In a period of only five or six years, fundamentalism has created a real danger
that Louisiana Baptists nationally-acclaimed Christian college could lose
accreditation, not because of a failure of the faculty or administration but
rather because of inappropriate meddling by the board and others. For this,
we can thank all those responsible for nominating and electing the current LC
board of trustees.
If LC is to be saved, the entire board of trustees of LC should immediately
resign. A full-page printed ad in the Baptist Message apologizing to Louisiana
Baptists for what they have done would also be appropriate. Then, a new board
of trustees should be elected that is interested in constructively working with
administration and faculty of LC rather than conducting witch hunts.
Glenn Girod
Baton Rouge, La.