For those who are on ROTC Scholarship, this could lead to loss of scholarship and future commission.
If you remember the Penn State riots over Joe Paterno firing, one Army ROTC cadet was kicked out of ROTC as he was captured on film during the rioting.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/27/penn-st-riot-ends-aspiring-army-officer-dream/
Maya,
I think you read more into my post than was there. I made no reference to the constitutionality of the suspensions. I merely said that they may have violated the school code of conduct (which addressed behaviors separate from the constitutional “freedom of speech issue”), and possible reasons for their suspension. they have rules, and the students likely sign the conduct code when they enroll. And if they violate it, there are consequences.
A state school cannot impose consequences that violate a student’s free speech rights, even if it has a code of conduct, and even if the student signs it. To put this another way, a state school cannot enforce rules that conflict with the U.S. Constitution. It might be the case that the ROTC program can restrict speech rights more than a state university, though.
A couple of other points here (I’m feeling contrary today). While I think this was almost certainly a racist act, are “ghost costumes” like Charlie Brown used to wear now inherently racist? Is it OK to have a sheet with two eyeholes, but not a pillowcase (because that’s too much like a hood)?
Finally:
Many Christians (I don’t know about most) believe that only people with specific beliefs will go to heaven, and that everybody else (including Jews, atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, and other Christians with the wrong beliefs) will go to hell. I suppose one could call this bigotry, but complaints about exclusiveness in religion seem odd to me when expressed from a Jewish perspective.
“You can fix ignorance but you can’t fix stupid” One unfortunate side effect of social media is that it gives voice to stupidity without check. Too bad people no longer teach the Golden rule, simplistic maybe, but the value in the message is priceless.
How does this fit with a public military college which mandates everyone partake in ROTC and yet, the students are as far as I understand…are mostly still viewed as civilians* unlike their FSA or ROTC counterparts who accepted ROTC scholarships or who continued/joined up in the last 2 years** of undergrad at other mostly civilian colleges?
** My understanding is one can attend ROTC or even the FSAs for up to the first two years without incurring a service obligation unless one has accepted an ROTC scholarship. Upon starting the 3rd year at an FSA or continuing/joining ROTC from junior year onward, one does incur a military service obligation even if one didn’t receive an ROTC scholarship at other mostly civilian colleges.
Again, the suspension may have nothing to do with constitutional issues, but a violation of the code of conduct. For example, one lines reads: “To take pride in my uniform and in the noble traditions of the college and never do anything that would bring discredit to them.” Another reads: " To be courteous and professional in my deportment, bearing, and speech, and to exhibit good manners on all occasions." And. " To refrain from intoxicants, narcotics, licentiousness, profanity, vulgarity, disorder, and anything that might subject me to reproach or censure within or without the college." What they did could be seen as a violation of one of these. It might have been a hazing issue (don’t know, just a supposition). So they can say whatever they want, but if it discredits them or subjects them to reproach within or outside of the school, then there may be consequences.
Actually pillowcases cost more than twin size sheets-- there was even a CC thread complaining about this.
Were these pillowcases issued to the boarding students by the school? If the school happened to issue blue pillowcases, would it have appeared more stupid than racist?
Not necessarily as the various branches of the KKK don’t restrict themselves from wearing white hoods or robes as shown in some photos below:
http://www.motherjones.com/media/2008/03/aryan-outfitters-kkk-seamstress
@jym626 You say,
“I think you read more into my post than was there. I made no reference to the constitutionality of the suspensions. I merely said that they may have violated the school code of conduct (which addressed behaviors separate from the constitutional “freedom of speech issue”), and possible reasons for their suspension. they have rules, and the students likely sign the conduct code when they enroll. And if they violate it, there are consequences.”
I don’t understand what you mean. You do understand that at a public university a speech code can’t trump,the constitution right? Even if you sign an agreement to abide by that code, there cannot be any consequences for doing so if it would violate a students First Anendment rights. You can not be asked by a government institution to waive your Constiutional rights in exchange for attending a university. ( military service academies may be different …it’s not clear)
In other words with a regular public University that code is meaningless to the extent it conflicts with the Constitution. This is well settled under US Supreme Court law.
When dealing with a public University even after you know that the university code has been violated you must consider the Constitution before you know if the consequences can be legally implemented.
As a matter of settling the rules in place for ROTC students, independent of scholorship status, the ROTC is not subject to the UCMJ. So at least that can be removed from consideration in this case.
http://www.ucmj.us/about-the-ucmj fourth paragraph -