{"id":548062,"date":"2021-06-01T12:21:28","date_gmt":"2021-06-01T16:21:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=548062"},"modified":"2021-06-01T12:21:31","modified_gmt":"2021-06-01T16:21:31","slug":"florida-state-case-demonstrates-cowardice-is-the-demise-of-higher-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-state-case-demonstrates-cowardice-is-the-demise-of-higher-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida State Case Demonstrates: Cowardice Is The Demise Of Higher Education"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fflorida-state-case-demonstrates-cowardice-is-the-demise-of-higher-education%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=548062&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/GettyImages-590684299.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=800&#038;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"  style=\"display:none\"><\/div>\n<p>Anyone that has paid even scant attention to the headlines over the last five years cannot help but notice that something has gone horribly awry in higher education. Historically, universities have been the marketplace of ideas, where our country\u2019s best and brightest can discuss and debate important questions of science, philosophy, religion, and politics. In contrast, today\u2019s universities are filled with radical (and sometimes violent) activists masquerading as faculty and students bent on canceling anyone who challenges the progressive orthodoxy.<\/p>\n<p>Many times, these radical activists violate university policies, not to mention the constitutional rights of other faculty and students, while attempting to shut down debates on important topics like immigration, abortion, racism, human sexuality, and gender identity. Yet, university administrators \u2014 those tasked with enforcing university policies and protecting faculty and students\u2019 constitutional rights \u2014 are nowhere to be found.<\/p>\n<p>Why? In short, cowardice. They are more concerned with protecting their positions (along with their inflated salaries and associated perks) than they are about protecting the rights of faculty and students and the university\u2019s role as a marketplace of ideas. I should know. As the director of Alliance Defending Freedom\u2019s Center for Academic Freedom, whose mission is to protect the First Amendment rights of students and faculty, I have a front row seat to witness this cowardice daily.<\/p>\n<p>CAF\u2019s victory\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adflegal.org\/press-release\/catholic-students-freedom-speech-vindicated-prompts-end-lawsuit\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/adflegal.org\/press-release\/catholic-students-freedom-speech-vindicated-prompts-end-lawsuit&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1622646838092000&#038;usg=AFQjCNFvyWXAL8Jk7JGog_MMJiwDQ0AzmA\">achieved last Wednesday <\/a>\u2014 one of more than 430 over the last 15 years \u2014 illustrates this perfectly.<\/p>\n<p>In June of 2020, the Florida State University Student Senate removed student Jack Denton as its president simply for sharing his Catholic beliefs in a private group chat with other members of the FSU Catholic Student Union. After one student encouraged others to watch a video link supporting organizations that were receiving \u201cad revenue\u201d from the video, Jack\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adflegal.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-07\/ADF%20letter%20to%20Florida%20State%20University%20%282020-07-22%29.pdf\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/adflegal.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-07\/ADF%2520letter%2520to%2520Florida%2520State%2520University%2520%25282020-07-22%2529.pdf&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1622646838092000&#038;usg=AFQjCNGXTfOVnUF7h0wzJvuFqGoJ5T3ULQ\">responded<\/a>\u00a0that the ACLU, BlackLivesMatter.com, and Reclaim the Block all support positions inconsistent with the Church\u2019s teaching. Jack merely offered a gentle reminder about some of the political stances these organizations take so that his fellow Catholic students would be aware before supporting them financially.<\/p>\n<p>Three days later, the Senate held a special seven-hour meeting in which more than a hundred students berated Jack. They said he \u201cshould never have been allowed to hold this position\u201d because of his \u201coutdated and extreme cult mindset.\u201d They said his beliefs were \u201cvile and wrong.\u201d They said to Jack that he needed to be removed because \u201cyou must learn your lesson.\u201d And they said allowing Jack to be a leader \u201cwould effectively be enabling bigotry.\u201d Agreeing with the mob\u2019s false claims that Jack was a bigot, racist, and transphobe, the Senate voted to remove Jack as Senate president.<\/p>\n<p>The facts are not in dispute. The Student Senate meeting was recorded. And high-ranking members of FSU administration participated in the meeting. No one disputes that Jack was removed solely because he shared his Catholic beliefs, in a private group chat, with other Catholic students. And no one disputes that Jack\u2019s speech was protected under the First Amendment. As such, the Student Senate\u2019s removal of Jack clearly violated the FSU Student Body\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sga.fsu.edu\/statutes\/statutes.pdf\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/sga.fsu.edu\/statutes\/statutes.pdf&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1622646838092000&#038;usg=AFQjCNH7TOHqoOmnMepALXAfCf6f9_-XaQ\">statute<\/a>\u00a0prohibiting \u201cdifferential treatment of a student based on . . . religion.\u201d Similarly, his removal also violated FSU\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/regulations.fsu.edu\/sites\/g\/files\/upcbnu486\/files\/regulations\/adopted\/FSU-Chapter-6-20180717.pdf\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/regulations.fsu.edu\/sites\/g\/files\/upcbnu486\/files\/regulations\/adopted\/FSU-Chapter-6-20180717.pdf&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1622646838092000&#038;usg=AFQjCNFOFFj9IKO5D5hz8gdV-p3rRVo7sQ\">nondiscrimination policy<\/a>\u00a0which plainly prohibits discrimination based on creed or religion. With all this evidence, surely the FSU administration would take immediate steps to correct this injustice, right? Wrong.<\/p>\n<p>Jack immediately appealed his removal to the Student Supreme Court. But the court was prevented from hearing his appeal in a timely manner because the Student Senate refused to appoint the necessary number of justices. Jack sent two separate letters to Amy Hecht, vice president for student affairs, asking her to protect his rights and enforce the university\u2019s policies. Ms. Hecht refused both requests.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, Jack was forced to file a federal lawsuit. Last October, the federal court\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adflegal.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-10\/Denton-v-Thrasher-PI-Motion_0.pdf\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/adflegal.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-10\/Denton-v-Thrasher-PI-Motion_0.pdf&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1622646838092000&#038;usg=AFQjCNFFEVqWzSLRNz53wfiUsSCapkU_Kw\">ruled<\/a>\u00a0that Jack was likely to prevail on his claim that the university violated his First Amendment rights by removing him as Senate president and ordered the university to begin paying Jack his salary for that position. Several weeks later, more than four months after Jack filed his appeal, the Student Senate finally appointed enough justices so the Student Supreme Court could hear his case. On Oct. 26, the Student Supreme Court issued\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adflegal.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-10\/Denton%20v.%20Thrasher%20-%20FSU%20Student%20Supreme%20Court%20decision.pdf\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/adflegal.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-10\/Denton%2520v.%2520Thrasher%2520-%2520FSU%2520Student%2520Supreme%2520Court%2520decision.pdf&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1622646838092000&#038;usg=AFQjCNGrMn67jDCtlGFUUVyC3aQRRecu-A\">an opinion<\/a>\u00a0finding that the Student Senate\u2019s removal violated Jack\u2019s First Amendment rights and FSU\u2019s nondiscrimination policies. Further, the Supreme Court ordered that Jack be immediately reinstated as Student Senate president.<\/p>\n<p>The Student Supreme Court\u2019s decision was immediately appealed to Vice President Hecht. Surely now, after both a federal court and the FSU Student Supreme Court have ruled that Jack\u2019s removal violated FSU policies and the First Amendment, Hecht would do the right thing and swiftly affirm the Supreme Court\u2019s decision, right? Wrong.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, Hecht intentionally delayed issuing a ruling for more than three weeks until the Senate term had expired. She then issued a brief\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/sga.fsu.edu\/Reporter\/Student-Supreme-Court-Appeal-11192020.pdf\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/sga.fsu.edu\/Reporter\/Student-Supreme-Court-Appeal-11192020.pdf&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1622646838092000&#038;usg=AFQjCNE__zObkasPvKiljvWBraU9aML7Pg\">letter<\/a>\u00a0declining to rule on the merits because the issue was now moot.<\/p>\n<p>There can only be one explanation for this: cowardice.<\/p>\n<p>Contrast FSU administrators\u2019 response (or rather, lack thereof) with the courage and wisdom shown by the members of the FSU Student Supreme Court (consisting of second- and third-year FSU law students) in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adflegal.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-10\/Denton%20v.%20Thrasher%20-%20FSU%20Student%20Supreme%20Court%20decision.pdf\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/adflegal.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-10\/Denton%2520v.%2520Thrasher%2520-%2520FSU%2520Student%2520Supreme%2520Court%2520decision.pdf&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1622646838092000&#038;usg=AFQjCNGrMn67jDCtlGFUUVyC3aQRRecu-A\">their decision<\/a>\u00a0reinstating Jack to his rightful role as Senate president:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe haste in which the Senate took this action, combined with the severity of the action taken against him\u2014his loss of employment and leadership within Student Government\u2014sends a message to all other members of Student Body: That students with religious beliefs, at least the ones shared by Plaintiff, are not fit to serve in Student Government. To uphold this sentiment within the Student Government Association at FSU, this Court would be encouraging the suppression of religious ideas within our community\u2019s marketplace of ideas and discouraging students who hold such beliefs from participating in that community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Indeed.<\/p>\n<p>If universities are to be restored to their rightful role as marketplaces of ideas, university administrators must stop cowering behind their desks and, instead, courageously stand up to the cancel-culture mob seeking to destroy higher education.<\/p>\n<p><em>Tyson Langhofer is senior counsel and director of the Center for Academic Freedom at\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.adflegal.org\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/www.adflegal.org&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1622646838092000&#038;usg=AFQjCNFBlA_hQ83lZ-rKlABJwvIIZFHo5A\"><em>Alliance Defending Freedom<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0(<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AllianceDefends\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/twitter.com\/AllianceDefends&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1622646838092000&#038;usg=AFQjCNEUfQ9dMtDszhRZWIZG1rW-Wb2_YQ\"><em>@Alliance Defends<\/em><\/a><em>), which represented Jack Denton in<\/em>\u00a0Denton v. Hecht<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author\u2019s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.<\/i><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>member<\/i><\/span><\/a><i>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anyone that has paid even scant attention to the headlines over the last five years cannot help but notice that something has gone horribly awry in higher education. Historically, universities &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2278764,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/GettyImages-590684299.jpg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"Florida State Case Demonstrates: Cowardice Is The Demise Of Higher Education","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-548062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/GettyImages-590684299.jpg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"Florida State Case Demonstrates: Cowardice Is The Demise Of Higher Education","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/548062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=548062"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/548062\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2278764"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=548062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=548062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=548062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}