The Young America's Foundation (YAF) has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, asking the Trump administration to open a formal investigation into Embry Riddle University for ongoing violations of students' rights.
NEW: @YAF has filed a complaint urging the Trump administration's @EDcivilrights office to open a formal investigation of @EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University and apply appropriate remedial actions amid the school’s ongoing violation of students’ rights.
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
🧵
Young America’s Foundation (YAF) filed a complaint Wednesday urging the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to open a formal investigation of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) and apply appropriate remedial actions amid the school’s ongoing violation of students’ rights.
The complaint comes after YAF put ERAU on notice with a demand that the school repeal its ill-conceived totalitarian speech ban and subsequently exposed ERAU’s discriminatory and selective enforcement of the ban to suppress YAF students’ expression while supporting leftists and allowing them essentially free rein.
“With this complaint, YAF is following through on its promise to have our students’ backs whenever their rights come under attack from school administrators,” underscored YAF Chief Communications Officer Spencer Brown. “In this case, YAF is alerting the Trump administration — and urging swift action — to remedy ERAU’s shameful speech policy and pattern of discrimination against conservative students. With his executive orders, President Trump equipped the Office of Civil Rights to investigate and defund educational institutions that violate their students’ rights, a welcome change that YAF applauds and is now eager to take advantage of to root out leftist discrimination at ERAU and other schools nationwide,” Brown added.
Despite being a private institution, ERAU — because it accepts federal funding — is subject to Trump administration policies and certainly not immune from the consequences of its actions.
As outlined in the complaint, ERAU is in violation of multiple executive orders implemented by President Donald Trump, a recent Dear Colleague letter from the Department of Education, Title VI, and Title IX.
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Buckle up, because this thread will illustrate exactly what Embry Riddle has been doing:
The complaint comes after @YAF demanded @EmbryRiddle repeal its ill-conceived totalitarian speech ban and subsequently exposed ERAU’s discriminatory and selective enforcement of the ban to suppress @_YAFreedom students while supporting leftist causes. pic.twitter.com/JgAowoKYHw
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
A university silencing conservatives while supporting Leftist causes?
Color us (not) shocked.
The complaint specifically cites the university's ongoing refusal to adhere to multiple executive orders issued by President Donald Trump.
As outlined in @YAF's complaint, @EmbryRiddle is in violation of multiple executive orders implemented by @POTUS @realDonaldTrump, a recent Dear Colleague letter from @usedgov, Title VI, and Title IX.
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
Let's dive in.
Yes, we're going to dive in DEEP on this one.
When YAF students tried to observe Holocaust Remembrance Day, administrators had "concerns" about the plans that included "giving out Israel flags and pro-Israel buttons" because "those don’t seem directly connected to the day of significance and could be considered political." pic.twitter.com/QTouM2XOg9
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
Of course, they'd say this.
Maybe the administration would've preferred yellow badges instead.
While @EmbryRiddle deems Israeli flags to be "political," this is the office of the administrator who communicated that determination. pic.twitter.com/KPMp1GPE70
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
There's always a double standard.
It's unsurprising, then, that @EmbryRiddle only uses its ban on "political" speech to block conservative students' activism while allowing celebrations of "transgender awareness." pic.twitter.com/yks3drQSfB
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
This is the least surprising news ever.
At @EmbryRiddle, @YAF students were prohibited from bringing detransitioner @ChoooCole to share her story, but ERAU's school-run counseling center was fine to post about Transgender Day of Remembrance. pic.twitter.com/5AmXZjNTVP
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
Complete with flags that they didn't allow for the Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Despite allowing campus property to be used to observe, celebrate, and support radical leftist gender ideology, @EmbryRiddle told @YAF's activists that they couldn't hold "discussions about the number of genders" in "outdoor or other public places." pic.twitter.com/F0PoHyQkkJ
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
This is openly discriminating against YAF and conservative students on campus.
What's more, @EmbryRiddle's "Center for Diversity and Inclusion" is a DEI program, not even in disguise, and its counseling services recognize sex-based distinctions that are not legitimate under law.
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
So Embry Riddle's DEI office thinks it's above the law. Got it.
Beyond the DEI/radical gender nonsense, @EmbryRiddle also used its speech ban to block other @YAF activism projects such as the 9/11: Never Forget Project, Funeral for Halloween, and pro-life activism events. pic.twitter.com/MAn9cXK285
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
We're so glad the YAF is filing a complaint.
All of this mess — from its promotion of DEI and disparate treatment of conservative students compared to those who advance leftist causes — means @EmbryRiddle is in violation of civil rights laws and President Trump's executive orders.
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
Enough is enough.
It's long past time we started making Leftist institutions comply with civil rights laws and executive orders.
You can read the entire complaint, including more of the allegations, here:
Read the full complaint here: https://t.co/wQiahAso5D
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) February 19, 2025
Thank goodness the YAF is standing up for the rights of students at Embry Riddle, and we'll keep you posted on the progress of this complaint.
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