JACOBSON: Students have every right to be politically engaged on campus

On this week’s episode of the Campus Countdown, Campus Reform Reporter Ophelie Jacobson talks about how conservative students at Washington and Lee University were told to cease campaigning for Glenn Youngkin, the Republican nominee for Virginia governor.

The university’s College Republicans displayed materials supporting Youngkin during a Sept. 12 activities fair, but were told by Director of Student Activities Kelsey Goodwin that they had to remove the materials due to the school’s tax-exempt status. 

Jacobson said, “make no mistake, this is a blatant attempt to control students’ political expression and it’s an overreach: no school has the authority to dictate political involvement.”

Jacobson also pointed out that “it’s important for students to have a voice in local and state elections in the state where they are in college.”

 “In the Virginia gubernatorial race specifically, education has been the primary focus for voters and candidates. If Virginia students are going to get involved in a campaign, it should absolutely be this one... no matter which side they support,” Jacobson said. 

This week, Campus Reform correspondent Logan Dubil joins the Campus Countdown to talk about how the federal government is paying a university $750,000 to create a tool that will warn journalists against publishing content that is considered to be polarizing. 

 Jacobson then analyzes the University of Virginia’s recent decision to cancel its annual Halloween trick-or-treat festivities due to COVID-19 concerns. 

Watch the episode above for full coverage on all of these stories.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @opheliejacobson