Action may have violated its own bylaws
Rohini Sethi has “voluntarily” taken a leave of absence from her position as vice president of the University of Houston student body, and agreed to participate in a diversity training workshop and attend cultural student organizations’ events “throughout the year.”
The sanctions issued against her by the Student Government Association – for posting “#AllLivesMatter” on her Facebook page – have now been lifted, though that seems to be a response to questions about the legality of the body’s sanctions in the first place.
Sethi’s supposedly voluntary actions appear to be largely the same as the sanctions, too.
MORE: Student punished with mandatory diversity training
The SGA said in a Facebook post Friday night that Sethi, who is of Indian descent, will return to her post on the first day of the fall semester. It had debated her fate two days earlier, with many critics accusing the body of attacking Sethi’s right to free speech.
Black student groups had led the charge for her impeachment, using the hashtag #RemoveRohini.
The SGA Facebook post, signed by both President Shane Smith and Sethi, said Smith had ordered the body to “pursue major initiatives related to campus diversity”:
We will create methods to inform students of the injustices that exist in our country and provide avenues for students to make a positive difference. We will also work closely with student organizations to host a large program focused on cultural appreciation.
The post included a groveling statement from Sethi that said she “should not have” made the #AllLivesMatter post and had “voluntarily” punished herself “because of the division I’ve created among our student body.”
MORE: University of Houston debates student’s First Amendment rights
President Smith, who is white, also apologized for the “impression” he gave that SGA was violating Sethi’s First Amendment rights:
My stance on racial injustice has always been clear. For all involved, this is truly the best outcome.
The SGA’s judicial branch is reviewing the legislation that gave Smith the authority to sanction Sethi, to see if it violated SGA bylaws, the statement said.
MORE: Student summoned to ‘Administrative Meeting’ over Facebook posts
h/t The Chronicle of Higher Education
Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter
IMAGE: Pirátská strana/Flickr
Please join the conversation about our stories on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, MeWe, Rumble, Gab, Minds and Gettr.