A valedictorian and a professor at Tyndale University College are publicly expressing outrage over an appearance by former U.S. president George W. Bush at the local Christian school next week.

Mark Groleau, valedictorian for Tyndale’s graduating class earlier this year, said Tuesday that Bush’s visit contradicts the school’s beliefs and damages its reputation.

“I really question how somebody like George W. Bush could be given a place of honour at a promotional event for a school that stands for peace and justice,” said Groleau, who received a master of divinity degree in pastoral studies. “I’m very disappointed in this conflict of values.

Tyndale supporter Prem Watsa, chief executive officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings, is sponsoring the Sept. 20 campus event where Bush will talk about the importance of Christian higher education at a breakfast. The event’s goal is to elevate the profile of the school, which has two campuses and about 1,400 students.

Bush’s visit led to the resignation of a “valued” employee a few weeks ago and has generated considerable debate internally but no faculty members have quit, said Tyndale president Gary Nelson.

“We were saddened by her leaving,” said Nelson, who would not identify the employee for privacy reasons. “She had very strong feelings.”

Tyndale associate professor Arthur Boers, who lived and taught in the U.S. during much of Bush’s presidency, criticized the way the former president used “Christian rhetoric” to justify the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“For much of the time that I lived in the United States I felt ashamed to be a Christian because of the policies of the George W. Bush administration —because of the number of people killed and the torture, all done in the name of Jesus Christ,” said Boers. “I’m just horrified that he’s coming up here, that Christians are meeting with him and are silent in the face of crimes that he’s responsible for.”

Nelson noted the school is taking advantage of an opportunity for a visit by Bush who left office in 2008 after two terms. “This is a critical historical figure,” he said. “And as a university, it’s someone we need to listen to just like other points of view.”