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The New Guard

EXPOSED: In Internal Emails, Nebraska Professor Asks College to Punish Student for Criticizing School

By

Julia Johnson

July 19, 2023

An administrator at a Nebraska college disparaged a conservative student for daring to write a critical op-ed about the school, according to internal emails obtained by Young America’s Foundation.

When Wayne State College Student Senate President Blake Aspen wrote an article in TownHall that was critical of the school’s policies regarding gender and the board responsible for them enacting them, a professor sought to have him punished, according to internal emails obtained by YAF through Freedom of Information Act request.

Professor Rodney Cupp was deeply worried that Aspen’s criticisms would make the school look bad. “Is anyone going to ask this student to stop making the college look bad? Or to use his words, ‘depraved,’ ‘radical,’ and ‘dangerous?” Cupp asked WSC Director of College Relations Jay Collier in an email.

He further asked if there would be any consequences for Aspen’s criticism, adding, “Playing nice isn’t going to work. As he says in the article, these ‘confrontations mean everything,” he added.

 

Collier responded, criticizing Aspen, “Blake is not interested in logic or discussions.”

“Blake only cares about Blake and his naked political ambition and aspirations. He is parroting the party talking points in order to try to drag the college into the current culture wars.”

Aspen’s  November op-ed for TownHall read: “This past week, the Nebraska State College System adopted new policies that allow for students to be punished by the Title IX office for ‘misgendering’ someone or participating in ‘innuendo’ about a ‘protected social class.”

He went on to criticize the school’s stance on gendered restrooms and the State College System Board for passing the policies.

Previously, when Aspen wrote a letter to the editor of The Wayne Stater that was denied, as YAF reported on, Cupp emailed Collier asking, “Have you been monitoring Blake Aspen’s social media accounts?” and provided links to three of Aspen’s accounts.

YAF recently reported on internal documents from WSC, revealing the censorious nature of his op-ed’s denial, a concession from administrators that the denial was wrong, and a new editorial policy that provides unlimited discretion to the editor-in-chief.

It is entirely inappropriate for a professor to ask that a student’s social media presence be monitored for stated conservative opinions, even if those opinions differ from the school’s partisan slant. What’s even more inappropriate is the disparagement of a student for daring to criticize the school’s left-wing policies. Aspen could not even defend himself against these accusations. We will not stand idly by as power-hungry administrators attempt to silence conservative voices.

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