YSU students protest installation of former GOP congressman as new president
Students at Youngstown State University in Ohio held a protest against newly installed president Bill Johnson because he was previously a Republican politician.
Various students, faculty, and alumni, have opposed the selection of Johnson, citing his 'Anti-Choice' and 'Anti-LGBTQ+' background.
Students at Youngstown State University in Ohio held a protest against newly installed president Bill Johnson because he was previously a Republican politician.
The students initially held a meeting on Jan. 8, in which they discussed how to keep the school accountable for hiring Johnson, according to The Marietta Times. He served as an Ohio congressman from 2011 until stepping down on Jan. 21.
At the 90-minute gathering, students discussed holding a walkout on Johnson’s first day as president of the school, as also noted by The Marietta Times. The outlet further reported that this idea even “seemed to garner unanimous support” among attendees.
Other ideas reportedly floated at the meeting involved forming a watchdog group to evaluate Johnson’s tenure.
A student petition to oust Johnson from his position received 2,000 signatures, calling him “Anti-LGBTQ+,” “Anti-Choice,” and an “Election Denier.”
Some students have since made good on their protest, with 50 students and faculty reportedly walking out on Jan. 22, Johnson’s first day as president, shouting “YSU, shame on you.”
Campus Reform correspondent Austin Browne, a student at Youngstown State, commented that the walkout is “a pathetic effort to undermine the process.”
He stated that the protestors do not “come from a place of objective reason but a place of activism,” and that they are “hoping” Johnson “fails” rather than watching out for the “well-being of the community.”
But students are not the only people at Youngstown State who are protesting the hiring of Johnson. Dozens of former employees, including ex-professors, have also raised objections.
Reportedly, some wrote in an open letter to the board of trustees to express “serious concerns with, and strong opposition to, the board’s search process and the person designated to be the next YSU president.”
In December, YSU’s Academic Senate also made votes of “no confidence” in the board of trustees for hiring Johnson.
Another letter signed by some alumni blamed the board for holding an “emergency meeting” to rush to select Johnson. They also blamed him for his “polarizing track record” as a politician, including how he “opposed gay marriage” and supported a “ban of travel from majority-Muslim countries.”
[RELATED: University hosts forum on school ‘censorship’ of LGBTQ books for children]
After being hired in November, Johnson remarked: “I am committed to an inclusive and respectful environment at the university. Regardless of political, religious, or personal affiliations, my focus will be on fostering open dialogue, understanding diverse perspectives, and contributing positively to the well-being of every student.”
Campus Reform has contacted Youngstown State University and Bill Johnson for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
