UNREAL Student at Oklahoma State University was reprimanded and threatened by a faculty member after he spoke at a meeting to honor Charlie Kirk. Hey Oklahoma State Univ., is it your policy to discriminate against conservatives?

UPDATE: she’s on leave

Dr. Brent Marsh Vice President for Student Affairs @OKStateSA Melissa Echols Coordinator of SGA Programs at Oklahoma State University Dear Dr. Marsh, I am writing to express serious concern about an interaction between Ms. Melisa Echols, Coordinator of Student Government Programs, and Joshua Wilson, a junior and Senate University Chairman in the Student Government Association (SGA) at Oklahoma State University. As Ms. Echols’ supervisor or the appropriate authority, I urge you to investigate her actions, which may violate Mr. Wilson’s free speech rights and university policies. He wore a Turning Point USA hat with a political reference (“45 47”), an act of protected expression under the First Amendment and Oklahoma Statute 70 O.S. § 2120, which designates campus areas like SGA meetings as public forums for expressive activities, including wearing symbols. Ms. Echols reportedly reprimanded Mr. Wilson, labeling the hat “partisan” and suggesting it could “trigger” others. She implied his SGA role could become “difficult” if he continued such expressions, a statement that appears to intimidate protected speech. Given the power differential between a faculty/staff member and a student, this interaction risks creating a chilling effect, potentially breaching First Amendment protections against viewpoint discrimination. I respectfully request the following: 1. An investigation into Ms. Echols’ actions to determine compliance with OSU’s Free Speech Policy, 70 O.S. § 2120, and constitutional standards. 2. A public statement reaffirming OSU’s commitment to protecting free expression for all students, regardless of political viewpoint. 3. Assurance that Mr. Wilson faces no retaliation for his speech or this complaint. Thank you for addressing this serious matter. cc: @SenMullin

@okstate @okstate If students are "triggered" by "the other side", they should be given special counseling and taught that it is okay for someone to have a different opinion than them. Otherwise, you are contributing to a culture of political violence.

@okstate Definitely doesn’t reflect the attitudes of the students.

As an alum of this school, I can tell you that this story makes me ashamed that I am a member of the OSU alumni and family. This discrimination should not be tolerated and this person doesn’t deserve to be employed at our university. My entire family has graduated from OSU. I can tell you if changes aren’t made, I will not support OSU or send any of my children to OSU.

@okstate

@okstate Maybe time for colleges to say goodbye to Federal funding & use their endowments 🤔

@okstate They can't debate our ideas, because they'd lose. So their only hope is to silence us.

@okstate That’s ridiculous. Shame on Oklahoma State University.

@okstate Sickening.

@okstate Hey @okstatepres, as an alumni I’d like to ask you what the HELL is going on with your staff? This now follows a pattern of you allowing students to openly celebrate Charlie Kirk’s murder. It’s starting to look like you fully endorse and encourage this sort of insane behavior.

@okstate

really now you have faculty threatening students because they’re wearing hats that may trigger someone in their family. They’re going to make their life and their semester uncomfortable? How the hell do you allow this to happen? Is this the feeling of the entire school faculty

Statement from Dr. Brent Marsh, VP for Student Affairs: The position of Oklahoma State University on freedom of speech is unchanged and crystal clear: All OSU students have the right to speak their minds on all of our campuses. Our SGA is a democratically elected body where students represent their peers, share their ideas, debate proposals and work toward solutions. That process only works when every voice can be heard without fear or restriction. Protecting free expression is fundamental to who we are as a university. The student who recently raised concerns exercised these very rights when he, along with another senator, shared his personal thoughts during the September SGA meeting, which occurred on the same day as the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk. These senators spoke without interruption, just as it should be. All staff charged with supporting student groups have received direct clarification about our policies and our unwavering commitment to free speech and our expectation that every student can fully express themselves.

@okstate

@okstate It apparently is. Hey @SenMullin are you okay with this?

@okstate Hey @AAGDhillon @AGPamBondi @EDSecMcMahon you should look into pulling federal funding from this university ASAP. Apparently they have serious issues with free speech and threaten students.

@stacyhrae @okstate Oh my gosh. If he gets a good lawyer, he can sue the pants off of this school. The woman admonished him because ‘SHE HAS FAMILY THAT DO NOT LOOK LIKE YOU…’…??? Lawsuit of highest constitutional level. ✝️✝️✝️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️❤️

@okstate “I have family who don’t look like you, that are triggered by those hats” 😂😂😂😂 how soft can these professors get.

@okstate Classic higher ed move tolerance ends where conservative views begin. Do better, @okstate.

@okstate Are his rights being violated and what about threatening to disrupt his life on campus? @HarmeetKDhillon @TheLeoTerrell

@okstate The University President downplayed and covered for students openly celebrating the murder of Charlie Kirk. He was provided with screenshot evidence of the posts as well as cross platform identification of the students then played dumb when they temporarily deactivated.

@okstate Hey @okstate , with staff like this, evidently you don’t need donor contributions or federal funds

@okstate Her "family" should have nothing to do with her role as a teacher or his as a student.

@okstate If her family is triggered by that, maybe she should not be working at that university. He has every right. This is getting out of hand. These schools either need their findings pulled or should be sued.

@okstate If this is there bias opinion then they don’t need our tax dollars at Oklahoma State! Defund Oklahoma State!! @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @VP

@okstate Yes, it is. OSU and OU both spend millions of dollars each year on DEI administrators. They are islands of leftism in an otherwise conservative state.

@okstate Brave of OSU to finally admit that diversity means everyone who thinks exactly the same. 🤡

@okstate She is obviously lacks the skills and self-discipline needed to serve as a faculty "advisor" or "coordinator" for student government, and should resign or be removed.

@okstate It's okay to suck at football. It's not okay to pay for education and get indoctrination.

@DK71834510 @okstate @okstate is that really conduct of a proper university. Anyone triggered by a hat has mental illness and should not be representing a school of thought and critical thinking.

@okstate Oklahoma is hyper Republican. Why is this allowed?

@okstate @okstate Are you allowing staff to threaten students with having a “rough” year if they don’t comply? That is atrocious.

School hiring practices and retention policies need to be re-established across the board. Any blatant threat of free speech of a student is anti-education. There need to be new schools created to remove the legacy universities that have been indoctrinating youth and the future of the country.