Buckle up: this is a long thread but one that is so, so important. This writer has a son who will be a senior in the fall and that means college is on the horizon. It also means she's paying extremely close attention to what's going on at college campuses across the country. Not only are there the protests, but the unfair Title IX rules to think about. We've ruled out the Ivy League, and now we can add the University of Maryland to that list.
Why?
Because of gestapo tactics like this:
IMPORTANT THREAD: Have you followed what's happened at the @UofMaryland? Experts say it's the single greatest violation of student civil rights in (at least recent) history, and administrators want it to be a new "model" for how they govern universities moving forward.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
The most alarming part is they want this to be the norm on college campuses. The. Norm.
In February, administrators received an anonymous "tip" about hazing and alcohol issues in fraternities and sororities at UMD. Prior to that, students had alerted administrators that a "rumor mill" in Greek life was going crazy as organizations competed for recruits.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Ah. An 'anonymous tip.'
The allegations were sensational, and frankly, unbelievable - requiring pledges to lay on a bed of nails or drink urine. Horrifying, if true. But pretty unlikely, so no students took the rumor mill seriously. But the University of Maryland did.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Of course they did.
Senior administrators gathered leaders from all the fraternities and sororities (historically black organizations were exempted) in a room and gave them sticky notes. They told them to write down any rumors they had heard about OTHER fraternities and sororities.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Why were historically black organizations exempted?
Seems unfair.
This Nazi/Soviet style "snitching" was a REQUIREMENT. Admins told the assembled students that a failure to be fully honest about their or other students' organizations could endanger their professional or grad school aspirations. They said they had done it to students before.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
People wonder why and how the Nazis and communists got people to go along with their atrocities: this is how.
The following day, administrators announced a total ban on Greek life. They issued a "NO CONTACT" (in caps) order, forbidding thousands of students from even speaking to each other, including biological siblings, roommates, classmates, group project members, etc.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Wow.
They also announced that all Greek life social activities were canceled. They eventually said that philanthropic activities could continue, but because some were public-facing events with alcohol, groups began to cancel them, leaving charitable partners without needed funds.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Everyone suffers, apparently.
Meanwhile, UMD contracted an outside law firm to begin an investigation of all Greek life. They brought in hundreds of students, including teenage pledges, to be interrogated by lawyers. Students were not accused of any crimes and were not told of any charges against them.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
This is so, so wrong.
When the students requested they have attorneys represent them since they were being interrogated by lawyers, the school refused. They were allowed a "support person" to listen in, but this person could not interject or otherwise advocate for the student.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
So the 'support person' was useless.
Students could not refuse to participate. Some parents intervened, saying they would direct their children to decline. They were informed by the school that it was required, and a failure to comply would result in disciplinary action. Again, no one had been accused of anything.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
'Go along with our fascist witch hunt, or we'll punish you.' -- every tyrant ever.
Investigators asked intrusive and inappropriate questions on everything ranging from absurd rumors to confidential organizational rituals. They also demanded some students turn over their cell phones (!!) so they could look at texts, photos and calendars.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Sure sounds like a fishing expedition, no?
When students objected to sharing the contents of their private cell phones, investigators said they'd be marked as non-compliant, which could result in disciplinary action. When one sorority president resisted, she was accused of "covering" for fraternities with her refusal.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Absolutely a fishing expedition.
Bans and investigations lasted 15 days, affecting thousands of individuals (16% of all UMD students). Unaware of their own rights, these students were subjected to an unprecedented infringement of their rights on a global scale - privacy, due process, free speech/association.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Why is it always 15 days? Is that the magic number that makes infringing on civil rights somehow acceptable?
Eventually, the school lifted the orders against nearly all fraternities and sororities. A handful of investigations remain ongoing (the most long-lasting actions were taken against an organization whose charges were known long before the dragnet investigation took place).
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Oh, look at that.
They found nothing.
Shocker.
The school broke its own administrative procedures and the law. It's pretty indisputable. Now, a judge is involved, as lawsuits have been filed. A temporary restraining order was initially filed, and the school relented. But, the lawsuits for civil rights violations remain.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Good. Sue them into oblivion.
You might wonder why you should care about what happens at one school. Well, they want it to - in their own words in a CBS interview! - serve as a "model" for how schools conduct investigations in the future.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
This isn't about Greek life. It's about administrators.
A 'model' -- violating civil rights, administrative procedures, and THE LAW is now a 'model' for other schools?
And if it starts as a model for schools today, it will be a 'model' for criminal and civil investigations in the real world within the next five years.
That should terrify you.
Some admins genuinely believe they're allowed to break the law and their own administrative rules to achieve ideological ends (be honest: they hate traditional organizations like Greek groups).
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
It's not about fraternities and sororities. They can do this to anyone.
But we thought no one was above the law. Huh.
If the new "model" is empowering admins to suspend civil rights of students without cause, without charges, without following the law, how vulnerable are students who are in their crosshairs? Especially if these students are opposed to their preferred groups?
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Those students are very, very vulnerable. They have no chance.
In Maryland, students are fighting back. But the power imbalance is so real and so terrifying, it takes real courage to do so. UMD's students should be heralded as leaders for standing up for student civil rights.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 26, 2024
Will others do the same?
More here: https://t.co/uS4BzcRLfj
We can only hope they will.
Where are the protests? Why aren't more people absolutely outraged at what the University of Maryland did?
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