"Stomp on Jesus" prof returns

The professor who took students through a "stomping on Jesus" exercise is getting rehired. Florida Atlantic University on Friday says Deandre Poole will again work as a adjunct instructor in communications for the summer and fall semesters. The university says Poole did nothing wrong--even though when the controversy broke, it announced that the exercise would not be allowed again at Florida Atlantic. Poole was placed on leave and prevented from coming back on campus at first--the university claimed to base the decision on threats against him. Many Christian groups called for his dismissal after telling students to stomp on a piece of paper with "Jesus" written on it. One student argued with Poole over the exercise. Poole reported the student to administrators and the student went public-saying he was facing charges for refusing to "stomp on Jesus." Florida Governor Rick Scott wrote a letter to the university president, calling the exercise "offensive, even intolerant." But the school's faculty senate defended Poole on the basis of academic freedom, pointing out that students were not punished for objecting to the lesson.