UMass Amherst Students Arrested for Trespassing During Anti-Israel Protest Now Complain They’re Not Able to Study Abroad
“One student who planned to study abroad in the coming semester is now considering a federal lawsuit.”
Actions have consequences. Perhaps these students should have thought of this before they committed an illegal act.
The College Fix reports:
UMass students arrested for illegal sit-in complain they now aren’t allowed to study abroad
Several University of Massachusetts Amherst students arrested for an illegal sit-in protest in October are miffed that they’re now not permitted to enroll in study abroad programs.
Fifty-six students and faculty were charged with trespassing during an anti-Israel occupation of the Whitmore Administration Building after closing hours, according to the Daily Hampshire Gazette.
One student who planned to study abroad in the coming semester is now considering a federal lawsuit.
The (anonymous) student’s attorney, Shay Negrón, said UMass is “oppressing” her client and their “right to the First Amendment.”
“By imposing these sanctions on my client, UMass is sending a very disturbing message: If anyone exercises their right to free speech on this particular subject matter on this campus, they will be severely punished,” Negrón said. “This is very serious and scary.”
Negrón added “[The student] shouldn’t be disproportionately reprimanded for any of these things that they were doing when they were exercising their right for free speech.”
The student currently is “on the hook” for some $20,000 related to studying abroad.
International Programs Office Director Kalpen Trivedi noted in an email to the affected students that they possibly could be readmitted to study abroad pending appeals to their sanctions.
“If there is a different decision from the Dean of Students as a result of your appeal, IPO will reconsider your eligibility for study abroad,” Trivedi wrote.
Negrón says her client should be allowed to participate in study abroad while their appeal is pending.
Another student disciplined for the sit-in, Aidan O’Neill, said he “didn’t know” his arrest would affect his ability to study abroad. He said he’s been able to “secure housing” for the new semester but “had to pay hefty withdrawal fees” for his planned time at the University of Barcelona.
“I was arrested because I was at this peaceful protest,” O’Neill said. “It never felt right to me that I got arrested for that and standing up for something that my university is doing.”
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Comments
Play stupid games. Win stupid prizes.
If it never occurred to him that mass trespass might have legal consequences, maybe he’s too dumb to represent the university in an international program.
Nah, it’s not about “representing the university.” it’s about being able to do networking and generally screwing off in ways that are nontraditional in the US.
The university, quite understandably, doesn’t want to allow students to get in trouble overseas while enrolled in their program, since the consequences for knowingly breaking the law can be much more difficult and long-lasting.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
UMass cops told them to leave the building, as the building was being closed for the night. That sounds to me like a perfectly reasonable order.
Right to free speech? Seven will get you eleven that a lot of those “protesters” claiming they were exercising their right to free speech would expect the university to punish anyone who addressed them by the wrong pronoun.
FA, FO.
Student said, “standing up for something that my university is doing.” Isn’t it the case that the student was standing in opposition to what his country was doing and what he felt that his university was complicit in doing? This is backward. However, the student has been hypnotized into accepting left-wing “oppressor” “colonialist” ideology.
No. He thought he was saying he stood in opposition to university policies, but instead said “standing up for” because he’s never been forced to be precise in articulating his thoughts. Lazy language begets lazy thinking, and vice versa.
FAFO
Sounds like a few people are experiencing the consequences of their actions for what is most likely the first time in their lives. Poor Babies
I’d imagine that it’s an insurance thing.
Especially ever since the murder of Amanda Knox’s roommate in Italy some years ago.
These programs surely are now much more aware of these study-abroad students’ party hearty proclivities etc., etc., etc. and the problems etc.
– – –
If you’re a professional in America — even a good one (dr, nurse, cpa, anything) — and you want to work outside the U.S., I’m pretty sure your application will not be considered if you’ve ever been disciplined/reprimanded for anything.
Again I think it’s a liability thing.
No one wants trouble.
And they don’t have time to investigate, “Well ya see what happened was……..”
Fortunately, if these students really want to immerse in espanol they have many many many alternatives. For example they can take a one year leave of absence from college and go immerse in any number of Spanish language schools. Many locales to choose from. probably learn more, and probably spend less money.
Many other alternatives as well.
Nobody is arrested for trespass without first being warned. So he knew he was breaking the law and would be arrested if he didn’t stop, and he chose to keep doing it anyway. Now he claims he didn’t realize?!
And there is no first amendment right to break the law. If he were actually exercising a first amendment right then the law would be invalid and he couldn’t have been arrested for violating it.
They should have been expelled after the arrest. Set the precedent, a few deserving miscreants out of the way, clearing the path for those who still want to learn something. After a few publicized arrests and expulsions the situation should quiet down.
This should have been done at Columbia and Berkeley in the 1960’s when this insanity started.
Who is paying the legal fees?
Parents ?
Without rushing to judge before knowing all facts , are we really to believe there are families who would rather spend time and money to do the legal/litigation drama ……….. versus taking thirty minutes to do the “Well son ya caint always get wat u want” thing.?
Idk
Idk
Idk
Idk
Your right to free speech does not include the right to commit criminal actions, like trespassing. You’re lucky they didn’t prosecute you and add a conviction to your record.
To do medical mission outside of the US, your background must be completely clean. Anything that could be actionable on a license, e.g. acts related to intoxication or unauthorized access or presence are especially frowned upon. I can imagine the Spanish government doesn’t want troublesome American students when they have their own troublesome Spanish students to deal with.