ASU taught student protesters a valuable lesson about consequences

Excuse me if I can’t quite squeeze a tear from the suspended Arizona State University students who won’t be graduating this week, or those now barred from campus for their pro-Palestinian protest.

“It feels like I was just abandoned at the very last moment,” Aida Campos told 3TV on Sunday. “I had family members who took on the financial burden to travel here from other parts of the country, including my 85-year-old grandmother who wanted to see me walk.”

It appears that Campos and her fellow demonstrators had no idea that their decision to ignore repeated warnings that they were trespassing and violating university rules would have concrete consequences.

“In terms of a suspension, we had absolutely no knowledge that this was a possibility and I want to be clear because with all protests and community events of this nature, a lot of the information about a protest comes through word of mouth and in some cases in some In some cases you stumble upon it.”

Campos is identified as a third-year graduate student and could not imagine that she could be held accountable if she violated the university’s code of conduct?

Student protesters were given multiple warnings

According to ASU, protesters were told at least 20 times over loudspeakers that their camp on Alumni Lawn was illegal and that they would face arrest if they did not dismantle their tents and move elsewhere as the 11 p.m. deadline approached.

“People were also warned throughout the day about the potential legal, student conduct and academic consequences,” ASU said in a statement.

But everything apparently went over Breanna Brocker’s head ABC 15 said that her provisional suspension meant she would miss her final exams and therefore not graduate.

“I am a bit disappointed. “I’m being left out of a lot of things right now that I didn’t expect to be the first to stand up for something I believe in,” the tearful senior said.

The students, of course, sued and appealed to a federal judge to overturn their interim suspensions on the grounds that ASU violated their right to free speech.

“Without immediate action by the court, ASU’s retaliatory actions will have a significant and detrimental impact on plaintiffs’ academic futures and livelihoods,” their lawsuit states.

ASU just taught them a valuable lesson

U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi didn’t believe it. On Friday, he declined to lift the bans.

The students’ attorney, David Chami, told reporters that the interim suspensions were a “disproportionate” response and a blatant violation of his clients’ free speech rights.

“This,” he said, “is about the First Amendment.”

ASU must lift suspensions:Against protesting students

In fact, this is about a group of protesters who tried to “liberate” land that doesn’t belong to them. Especially the Alumni Lawn.

It’s about refusing to break camp when you’ve been warned time and time again that what you do is who you are do, not what you say – is a violation of university rules.

Now the students are shocked that their actions have consequences?

It seems to me that ASU just taught them a valuable life lesson.

Reach Roberts at [email protected]. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @LaurieRoberts or on threads at laurierobertsaz.

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