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University of Florida Suspends Multiple Conservative Student Groups for COVID Violations

University of Florida Suspends Multiple Conservative Student Groups for COVID Violations

“failing to wear appropriate face coverings and/or maintain appropriate physical distance”

Conservatives are the new counter-culture rebelling against authority.

Campus Reform reports:

University of Florida suspends MULTIPLE conservative groups in one fell swoop

The University of Florida has suspended at least three conservative student organizations.

According to documents obtained exclusively by Campus Reform, University of Florida Dean of Students Heather White told the school’s Turning Point USA chapter that it had violated the school’s COVID-19 policies. Campus Reform confirmed that the school’s Young Americans for Freedom and Network for Enlightened Women received similar letters.

The email alleged that students had hosted an unsanctioned event on Norman Field, during which students “were observed not complying with” the school’s regulations by “failing to wear appropriate face coverings and/or maintain appropriate physical distance.”

The university “immediately placed on interim suspension from the University of Florida, pending resolution of the allegations.” Under the suspension, the club will lose “all privileges and access to all campus resources and services, for a period of time, including, but not limited to, the use of University space, participation in University programs, activities, events and services, and registration of gatherings and events.”

Lawmakers — including Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) — immediately expressed concern.

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Comments

It looks like participants at this joint event were photographed violating these clearly stated provisions (among others) of UF rules:

“Face coverings must always be worn in University-owned, -occupied, or -controlled buildings and at outdoor events or gatherings held on University-owned, -occupied, or -controlled lands by all people age 2 and older.”

“Physical distancing (a minimum of six feet) must be observed at all indoor and outdoor events and gatherings with special attention given to ingress/egress of the venue as well as general queuing and ticketing logistics.”

The rules are documented here:
https://policy.ufl.edu/policy/campus-events-and-gatherings/

The following questions pop to mind:

1. Are these rules still reasonable?

2. Are these rules consistently applied to all campus organizations?

UF is a state school, and therefore run by a government bureaucracy. I have personal experience with this. It makes it difficult to breathe.

The student government and student paper are, as usual for an institution of higher education, filled with students who believe that government and politics are going to save us. The paper has a lightly biased article here:
https://www.alligator.org/article/2021/03/conservative-student-groups-suspended-by-uf

I suspect some of the participants published photos of the event on Instagram or elsewhere. I wonder how the photos came to the attention of the authorities.

I’m not going to get upset at the UF administration about this.

“an unsanctioned event on Norman Field, during which students “were observed not complying with” the school’s regulations by “failing to wear appropriate face coverings and/or maintain appropriate physical distance.”

Face coverings required OUTDOORS?
Show me the science, tyrants.

“filled with students who believe that government and politics are going to save us”

But the very point here is that they are punishing precisely those few who do not. So yes, I am going to get upset at the UF administration.

    gibbie in reply to henrybowman. | March 24, 2021 at 7:12 pm

    Masks in close quarters outdoors is a judgement call. If you don’t like government bureaucracies, I suggest you avoid placing yourself in their power.

    I don’t like them either. That’s why I encourage parents to take their kids out of the government monopoly bureaucratic “public” schools. It’s quite possible to do that unless you have a low income. It’s much more difficult to find a university where you can get an engineering degree without having to deal with government bureaucracy. Even the vast majority of private universities and colleges are now tied up with government bureaucracy because they accept federal funding.

    If UF is applying their possibly unreasonable rules consistently, I will not get upset. They are, after all, dealing with large numbers of foolish adolescents, not reasonable mature adults like LI commenters.