Dive Brief:

• Charleston Southern University, a Christian school facing criticism for firing a teacher whose mustachioed face appeared on a beer can, said Tuesday that the dismissal had nothing to do with alcohol consumption, facial hair, or his charity work for a group sponsored by the beer company.
• Paul Roof, who was an associate professor of sociology at Charleston, says he was fired after he posted to Facebook a picture of his bearded face that was used on a Holy City Brewing beer can.
• The statement released by Charleston Southern still doesn’t say why Roof was fired.

Dive Insight:

One reading of this incident is that Roof could have been fired for his image appearing on a beer can, but the firing was not technically related to the consumption of beer from those cans. The university is in a tough position from a public relations standpoint because its policy, and most corporate personnel policies, won’t allow it to discuss personnel matters publicly. The university said it encourages charitable activities by all faculty and staff, and that it reaches out to the entire community “in all of its diversity” as it promotes “academic excellence in a Christian environment.”