For those who wish to do further research on the BJU fashion show fracas, there is this link:
sharperiron.org
It is not clear to me whether or not Steve Pettit even knew about the fashion show until after the fact. It seems to be rather petty to fire him over some silly shenanigans and hijinks of this nature by immature college kids. But I suppose that would be in keeping with the generally harsh, unforgiving "one strike and you're out" policy among fundamentalists.
Isn't it ironic. Over the decades, BJU has built up a reputation for "shipping" students over relatively minor disciplinary issues, sometimes 9 days before their graduation as in the Chris Peterman case. (In his case, they couldn't even figure out just why they were booting out that poor schmo. Was it for posting CCM lyrics, watching "Glee," or trying to intimidate a BJU administrator)? Greg Easton, on his Hidalgo Grain Company web site, wrote about how BJU students were shipped and then banned from stepping foot on the campus again, for trivial offenses. Years ago, Bojos would brag about how BJU is like a shoe factory - "they build soles (souls), ship heels, and send them out in pairs."
But now the President of BJU is facing the serious possibility of being shipped himself, over such stuff as Shakespeare, slacks and shorts, bluegrass, and a moron wearing a woman's coat and crown of thorns at a fashion show. I am not sure if this harsh and judgmental attitude in the IFB movement with regard to their own faithful lay people, and sometimes clergy victims too, is the way to win friends and influence people or build up a movement. It seems like fundamentalism is devouring itself from within.
Of course, there are some cases where church discipline should be exercised against errant lay people, and some clergy and administrators who need to be removed from their posts, like Cameron Giovanelli, for instance. Whatever mistakes Steve Pettit has made, I don't see that his offenses rise to the level of having him shipped, but hey, that's just me.