May 7, 2018 (Students for Life) – Wednesday, May 2nd, a vandal at Fresno State was caught on video washing away pro-life chalkings at the school that were written by Fresno State Students for Life.
This comes on the 1-year anniversary of Fresno State professor Greg Thatcher ordering his students to students to destroy similar chalkings on campus. As a result of a lawsuit by the Alliance Defending Freedom and Students for Life, Thatcher was ordered to pay damages to several students involved as well as undergo First Amendment training with ADF.
Bernadette Tasy, one of the plaintiffs in the original lawsuit and the president of Fresno State Students for Life said, “When will students at Fresno State learn that we have just the same free-speech rights as everyone else? Professor Thatcher underwent free-speech training; maybe the whole school should. There should be respect for differing points of view on campus, and if students oppose us they are free to chalk their own messages on the ground, but they should not destroy ours.”
Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, added, “Bernadette is a great example of the resilience of Students for Life leaders. Bernadette has seen the group through multiple vandalizations, but nothing fazes them. We call on the university to send a strong message to the school that they will not tolerate violations of free speech.”
Campus police have been given a copy of the vandalization video, and are also investigating another student who was caught several weeks ago tearing down Students for Life flyers on campus opposing Senate Bill 320, which would force 4-year public colleges to distribute free abortion drugs.
Oddly, this happened the same day that the university held a forum to review free-speech and explain why a professor mocking the death of former First Lady Barbara Bush is protected.
Published with permission from Students for Life.