Canada: University Don, 21, Fired for Dispensing Condoms

King's University College has fired a third-year student as residence supervisor because he would not agree to stop providing condoms to students. Publicly funded KUC is affiliated with the University of Western Ontario but operates on Catholic principles. Daniel Grace said he pinned an envelope of condoms outside his door so students could have easy, anonymous access to condoms to practice safe sex.

"I'm a Catholic myself, but the reality is, if condoms aren't available, students will have sex anyway and risk getting pregnant, risk getting sexually transmitted disease, risk getting HIV," said Grace. "This is a health and safety issue, not an attack on the church. Catholic bishops in Africa hand out condoms to fight AIDS. The needs of the community must come first," the social justice scholar said. Losing his job means Grace no longer receives free accommodation and so must find an off-campus apartment.

"We are a Catholic institution built on land owned by the Diocese of London, and while we have full academic freedom and students from diverse religious backgrounds, we absolutely could not officially distribute condoms," said Mary Carol Watters, dean of students. "We know students have condoms and we are quick to tell them where they're available and we encourage peer health education ‹ but the decision has been made that we will not actively distribute them or make them available through washroom vending machines."

Dons had been discreetly providing condoms for years at King's College without repercussions, but the college stopped that after a complaint was made this fall to the college chaplain and the local bishop was consulted. On three occasions, the chaplain met with Grace but failed to persuade him to follow church doctrine, said Watters. Neither the chaplain nor the bishop could be reached for comment.

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