Settlement reached between Hamline, former professor dismissed after showing Prophet Muhammad images
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A settlement has been reached between a private Minnesota university and a former professor who alleged religious discrimination.
Erika López Prater sued Hamline University last year after she was dismissed following a complaint from a Muslim student that she showed ancient images of the Prophet Muhammad in a global art course last year.
In her lawsuit, López Prater alleged the small St. Paul university subjected her to religious discrimination and defamation, and damaged her professional and personal reputation. The judge in the case later dismissed several claims in the lawsuit, but said the lawsuit could proceed on the basis of religious discrimination.
According to federal court records, the settlement was reached on Monday. Details of the settlement are under seal.
The controversy began in October 2023 when López Prater showed a 14th-century painting depicting the Prophet Muhammad to her students as part of a lesson on Islamic art. She had warned them in the class syllabus, allowing them to opt out. She also reportedly gave a trigger warning before the lesson in which the image was shown. A student who attended the class — who was president of Hamline's Muslim Student Association — complained to the university, saying the trigger warning didn't define what image would be shown. In Islam, portraying the Prophet Muhammad has long been taboo for many.
The university later decided not to renew López Prater's contract.
The fallout was far-reaching, leading the school's faculty to overwhelmingly call for university President Fayneese Miller to resign. Miller later announced plans to retire. That announcement came three months after she conceded that she mishandled the situation, particularly in calling López Prater's showing of the image "Islamophobic."
Kathleen Murray has since been selected as the university's 21st president.