The school was going to relocate the memorial to avoid triggering people but they have since thought better of the decision.
The Blaze reports:
After widespread backlash, SMU now says it won’t move 9/11 flag memorial to less prominent spot
After widespread backlash, including a letter from the governor of Texas, Southern Methodist University has reversed its controversial ruling that students’ annual 9/11 memorial — about 3,000 miniature American flags displayed in the heart of the Dallas campus — would have to move to a less-prominent spot, WFAA-TV reported.
Things heated up after the school posted a policy in July saying all displays on Dallas Hall lawn would have to move “to avoid messages that are triggering, harmful or harassing,” the Dallas Morning News reported. The new location? Morrison-McGinnis Park, also known as MoMac Park.
But on the same day that stories hit the national news cycle last week about SMU’s decision, the school revised the policy’s wording — but stuck to its decision.
“SMU respects the rights of all campus community members to express their opinions, as well as their right to be free from coercion and harassment. The policy has been further updated to better reflect this balance and to remove the poor wording regarding triggering or harmful messages,” the school said in a written statement, the Morning News noted.
SMU President R. Gerald Turner released a statement. Here’s part of it:
I’m pleased to share with you that SMU and student leaders reached an agreement yesterday to continue to have lawn displays, including the annual 9/11 memorial, on the Dallas Hall Lawn.
I thank the students who met with University officials to express their concerns about our initial decision to relocate the displays. In coming together, students representing a range of organizations engaged in discussions with administrators and each other to find common ground, exemplifying an effective way to resolve issues. Throughout the process, they demonstrated their commitment to the free exchange of ideas and civil discourse – a commitment that SMU as an institution of higher learning shares.
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