Drake University Denies Recognition to Conservative Student Group
“This is the third time the group has sought campus approval.”
We see stories like this one two or three times a year. There is no political balance in higher ed.
Campus Reform reports:
Turning Point USA barred from Drake University
The Drake University Student Senate denied recognition to the conservative student organization Turning Point USA.
The body at the Des Moines, Iowa, university voted against the proposed chapter 17-2 on Mar. 11, with one student senator citing the group’s “harmful” views.
Two months later, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) sent Drake University a letter that urged administrators to “end viewpoint discrimination and promptly process TPUSA’s application for recognition.”
The letter states:
“Given the university’s laudable promises of free expression, Drake must reverse the Student Senate’s decision and recognize TPUSA as a registered student organization.”
According to the Drake University Registered Student Organization Handbook, registered groups can utilize Drake’s name, participate in activity fairs, and use services provided by the Student Life Center.
Without recognition, Turning Point USA will not be eligible to reserve on-campus meeting states or apply for funding.
This is the third time the group has sought campus approval. Previous attempts were made in 2016 and 2019.
“For free speech, we are not backing down,” the group posted on Facebook shortly after its most recent rejection.
The university’s Statement of Principles states that the school does not tolerate “acts of oppression,” which includes “denial of freedom of expression” and “political beliefs.”
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Comments
Did anyone else read the link to Drake’s statement about freedom of expression? Very touchy-feely. They want freedom of speech, they support it, but last few paragraphs they…don’t so much.
“ Words do indeed have consequences. Words may be hurtful.”.
And “ Moreover, while the University defends freedom of expression, it will not tolerate acts of harassment. When an individual engages in harmful conduct or threatens a member of or a visitor to the University community, Drake University will take such disciplinary action and respond with such sanctions as are deemed appropriate. “
Who “deem[s]”? Who decides what constitutes harassment? Is expressing a conservative viewpoint harassment? Isn’t refusing to live up to what you advertise—and accept tuition money for—a form of harassment? Would TPUSA students suing the university harassment?
It has been said that their can be no victory in defense. Nowhere is that truer than in situations like this. Masterpiece Cake Shop in Denver played defense and got a judgment from SCOTUS. Shortly afterward, another fringe person engaged MCS in an almost identical situation. Defense.
But in Oberlin Gibson’s Bakery sued the college and—individually—the dean who was viciously behind the ostracism of the bakery. They got a judgment of north of $30 megabucks. Doesn’t look like Oberlin College is going to do that again. Offense.
The difference is stark. It is far past time for people to settle for being human skeet. It’s one thing to write letters to colleges. It’s quite another to sue them for breach of contract. If they advertise one thing and fail to deliver or, worse, do the opposite, that’s a straightforward breach of contract. What’s the cost of uprooting oneself from a college, moving, making up lost credits, forgoing one or more years of income? That plus punitive damages should be a good starting point for a lawsuit.