Doctor loses residency, accuses UW of bias after session on Islam

Last Updated: June 18, 2002 Michael Curtiss headed to a Tuesday lecture in his family practice residency program in Wausau a few months ago, expecting to hear the usual discussion of some aspect of medicine. Instead, he sat surprised as two Muslim first-year residents gave a presentation on Islam.

The residents offered prayers, talked about the five pillars of Islam, defended its treatment of women and spoke to allay fears that the U.S. government would intern Muslims, said Curtiss, a staunch Christian and former seminarian. The two-hour session occurred Jan. 8, Curtiss said.

Curtiss, who once raffled off guns to help pay for a congressional campaign, didn't think it appropriate to use class time to focus on religion - especially considering this was a University of Wisconsin Medical School program.

He challenged the presenters, Altaf Kaiseruddin and Ilyas Sial, asking six questions using biblical Scripture as his guide.

A week later, Kaiseruddin took him aside and warned him his time at the program was up, Curtiss claims. A few days after that encounter, Curtiss said, he learned his three-month contract would not be renewed, and no one told him why.

The 44-year-old has since filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accusing the university of religious, age and disability discrimination. He believes that UW officials not only discriminated against him because of the nature of his participation in the lecture but also ruined his chances of getting a position with a Michigan State University program afterward.

"I don't think faith has any place being in a public university," said Curtiss, who said he was a second-year resident. "If I would have said to Kevin (O'Connell, the Wausau program director), 'I'd like to take two and a half hours of teaching time to tell the staff and the residents and people who work here about the salvation that's available through Jesus Christ,' do you think he would have even let me speak?"

He says the program accepted Curtiss as a first-year resident, offering him a three-month contract because of his non-traditional background. According to O'Connell, Curtiss' medical internship was in the 1980s but it couldn't be confirmed because the program no longer existed. Curtiss had graduated from Rush Medical College in Chicago, O'Connell said. A review of Illinois license records turned up an active medical license for a Michael S Curtiss.

Curtiss received a contract in effect from Nov. 1 through Jan. 31 that stipulated the program could opt not to renew it and Curtiss would have no right to appeal within the university's grievance process, O'Connell said. On Dec. 17, Curtiss went on medical leave because of back problems. According to O'Connell, the session on Islam occurred Dec. 18, and Curtiss did attend and ask several questions, as did others.

In mid-January, program officials reviewed Curtiss' brief tenure and decided - based purely on performance factors - not to renew his contract, O'Connell said. Department chairman John Frey sent Curtiss a letter informing him of the non-renewal, but it didn't give a reason why, O'Connell admitted.

The Islam lecture came about after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, when a lot of patients expressed nervousness and confusion during checkups, O'Connell said. Because Kaiseruddin and Sial were available, program leaders felt it would be convenient and appropriate to have a session on the religion.

Despite repeated attempts, Kaiseruddin and Sial could not be reached for comment. Frey also could not be reached.

The university also released a statement on the topic. "Dr. Curtiss was employed for a brief time with the University of Wisconsin-Department of Family Medicine, and the university has met its obligations to him under the terms and conditions set forth in its contract with him," part of the statement reads. "The university believes his charge is without merit and denies his allegations."

Exchange regarded as civil Two other residents in the program who asked not to be named confirmed the contents of the lecture. One of the residents said the exchanges between Curtiss and the presenters had been civil, mainly focusing on the differences between Christianity and Islam. Others besides Curtiss asked questions, said the resident, who didn't want to be named for fear he'd be "blacklisted."

"I think he's a fine physician. An excellent physician," the resident said. "He was very knowledgeable. He was very involved with clinical discussions and meetings and just really put a strong effort forward."

O'Connell had met with residents and informed them that Curtiss' contract had not been renewed for legitimate reasons, but he would not elaborate because of the litigation, the resident said.

After Curtiss found out he couldn't return to the Wausau program, he applied to a Michigan State program. He said he was accepted, but then, in May, he heard from William Short, that family practice program's director, telling him he wouldn't get a spot after all. Curtiss believes that, somehow, word of his encounter with Kaiseruddin and Sial got to Short. Short could not be reached Tuesday.

O'Connell said Short had called him. Apparently, Curtiss had denied being in the Wausau program and Short wanted to make sure, O'Connell said. He also confirmed that Curtiss had been in the program and his contract was not renewed, but he insists he never mentioned Curtiss' performance failures.

But Curtiss filed his complaint on more than just grounds of creed. He also claims age and disability discrimination. Curtiss, who is married and has two sons, said he had been suffering from a tumor in his spinal area and had trouble walking. Because the school wouldn't tell him why he was being let go, he filed complaints on multiple grounds.

"They didn't give me any warning. They didn't give me any way to correct what I had done," he said. "They said: 'We don't need a reason. You're gone.' "

Curtiss also said he practiced medicine for 15 years in Illinois, mainly in rural areas, before returning for a second-year residency program.

He gained attention when he ran for a western Illinois congressional seat in 2000 and raffled off guns to raise campaign money.

"Second Amendment - that's the Constitution," Curtiss said when asked about the raffle Tuesday.

Curtiss, who said he's a member of the Evangelical Free Church, isn't keen on Islam. He said he has read the Qur'an ("Know thine enemy, right?" he said) and considers it a very contradictory book, especially on topics such as warfare. He also expressed resentment at foreign students who are accepted into residency programs in the United States, saying they take up seats that should go to Americans.

I don't, don't know who could. Islam doesn't. Stoning like that is from terrorists and local despots.

One of the stranger parts of the Koran tells men to financially permanently support the women in their family, regardless if the women are wealthier! Wouldn't that fry Donald Trump!

On a sadder metaphor, Bill Clinton claims to be a churchgoing Christian, but his choices of marital fidelity stink. That's Clinton, not the religion he "claims". He and Jackson preaching about family values makes me gag whenever either profess to be a Christian.

So very true livius...also take a look at how NSF, DAARPA, and NIH funding ( taxpayer dollars) just provides a pre-screen for the "venture capitalists" ( look for former heads of FDA etc on the boards) to form companies with more sure hits....it's like playing roulette with only five squares and the payout is ten million to one...you are a fool not to play if so many squares are "pre-screened" and this is what is happening every day

Please tell me what guns have to do with this story....don't ya just love liberals and the spins they put on things???

"If I would have said to Kevin (O'Connell, the Wausau program director), 'I'd like to take two and a half hours of teaching time to tell the staff and the residents and people who work here about the salvation that's available through Jesus Christ,' do you think he would have even let me speak?"

This says it all......

Not all theocracies perhaps, way too many.

You touched a main point I've found among Muslims happy to be Americans (or is it Americans happy to be Muslims?) and that is an abhorence of theocracy.

I was at a lecture (in a Catholic university of all places!) that compared the european/colonial reformation to seperation of church and state to the vast lack of same in the religion of Islam. The lecturer pointed out that a majority of immigrants to western countries, those immigrants bringing their Islam religion, are almost always inert in politics, except for personal protection. Her point was they vote with their feet, voting for seperation of church and state.

Heckuva' lecture, then she said something along the lines of "so when a western Islam sees the terrorist of 9/11 claiming to be true believers of Islam, the westerner will probably stay on the couch, assuming that Washington D.C. and London and Dublin are all fumbling bureaucrats when it comes to police work, but with a firmer assumption that those victims of terrorism will be comforted in the afterlife by God, and those terrorists who created the horrors will suffer incomprehensible and permanent punishment by God!"

Trinity College, Dublin, about a month ago. Good lectur. Somebody videotaped it, but I don't know who.

I listened to this doctor on Hugh Hewitt. What's not mentioned in the article is that the Muslim speakers admitted that they send half their salary to their families and half to Muslim "charitable" organizations (don't remember the names, but at least one of them is known to fund terrorist activities) The doctor (being a good citizen after 9-11) reported what these men had to say to the INS. The doctor loses his job shortly thereafter. The Academic Clymer elites once again bully someone who isn't P.C. enough for them.

"Actually, Muslims theocracies do follow the Koran's edicts including stoning adulterers (women)."

You're right, they all believe it. At this point in time only the insane or very bold among them actually do it. That's the reason the majority don't condemn the actions of their brethern. They're taught that their religion/culture is superior to all others - shudder - and the goal is world domination by Islam.

"It's not up to God...take matters into your own hands....question the idiots running the Universities...you will soon discover "the Emperor has no clothes"...press your Congressmen and state delegates....don't be put off by official sounding jargon that says nothing or conferred degrees because someone could take a test and stood in line long enough to have their ticket punched for the privilege of strutting and sopping at the trough filled by you !"

Sorry, you are preaching to the choir. We do need God's help. Along with a large parent support group, I experienced a very long sustained bloody battle with a public school district. All we wanted was for our kids to get math and English everyday, rather than go over a year without having said subject matter, due to the insane schedule the elites placed in our high school.

Suffice it to say, we are up against a monster who fights down and dirty. In the end, we had to "compromise" (very long story). I cried my eyes out many a night because so many parents are in La La Land. We contacted many folks around the country who've experienced the same exact senerios. The education terrorists know how to fight and win.

I've decided that the ONLY way to win this war, and yes, it is a war, is for massive amounts of parents to ban together systematically and take back our schools. The way Hillary and her buds have set up the beaurocrisy, we indeed need God's help. Sadly, I don't see enough parents who can and will commit the time and effort it will take to take back our schools.

I experienced the same thing nearly twenty years ago in which Augusta County was 'not truthfully ststing' the grade level standings...we were completely sandbagged even after organizing and getting several hundred parents to meetings....read AYN RAND ...when it gets this bad, you cannot reform or even participate, you must withdraw and let the rot collapse under its own weight....homeschooling and vouchers are a good start but our elected leader does not have the solid philosophy or the cajones to stick with it,,,also the people pleasing mode strikes up and he is immobilized

It is indeed tragic to realize that our country's public education system, colleges and universities have been conquered by socialists and Islamic extremists.

Only problem is those two Islamic wannabe brain washers are the Islamic mainstream. The very nerve of thse foreign born fruit loops laying their religious trip on Americans! In a captive audience. Then trying to exact vengence when someone challenges their Islamic baloney.

Christians were bombed in Yugoslavia by the United States and murdered by invading AlQuaeda and insurgent Arab armies ( ~ 18,000) and the facts covered up or replaced with blatant lies....Christians by the hundreds and thousands are murdered every week in Africa and not a word or tear is shed by the media, the U.S. Government, the Hague or the U.N. .....Christians are under attack all over the world...what are YOU going to do about it ?

Please tell me what guns have to do with this story....don't ya just love liberals and the spins they put on things???

Where do you get the liberal spin? Curtis was practically the only source for the article. More likely that Curtis was bragging to the reporter about his 2nd ammendment beliefs and actions.

A relative of mine works for one of the largest state universities in the country. The "cultural diversity" (translated: a disproportionate amount of many thousands of jobs held by unqualified and lazy third-world immigrants), and the "academic freedom" (translated: fear of opening your mouth on anything political or cultural if you're white, a Republican or a conservative) would make one's hair stand on end. The taxpayers' money given to professors playing the system for their endless jaunts to exotic cities around the globe for "seminars" is a fountain which never ceases to gush.

Most public state universities today are nothing more than quasi-criminal organizations run by Marxist moles, spineless do-good boards, professors on the gravy train and fascist administrators who brook no dissent or questioning by conservative professors or students.

They have their "methods" for dealing with such upstarts.

The media doesn't care about any of this.

Leni

I read of this earlier. No big surprise. Almost all of the universities in the United States are hotbeds of anti-christian, anti-Amerian ideology and bigotry. The enemies of the U.S. are the universities' friends. UW is known to be a pathetic party school (one of the worst) - I'm surprised anyone learns anything at that paper mill.

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