Posted on by Californiacontrarian

Maggie DeJong

Maggie DeJong had been a student at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville (SIU,E). She has since graduated, but while she was there SIU,E slapped DeJong with a “no contact order,” the college’s equivalent of a restraining order, usually reserved for those threatening violence.

What did Maggie DeJong do to warrant such a harsh restriction … did she violently attack someone, or perhaps threaten to do physical harm to someone?

Not exactly … err, not even close. 

Most of what follows is from The Epoch Times:

DeJong engaged in discussions in classroom settings, which was expected of her, in ways that were topically appropriate, discussions about “race relations,” “religion,” and “the postmodern theoretical framework,” she said. Until a student who didn’t like what she was saying made a formal complaint.

Her views were collected from social media for over a year. Classmates took screenshots from her Instagram as “evidence.”

She defended Kyle Rittenhouse and denounced critical race theory on social media, drawing the ire of fellow students.

“I was participating in these discussions, but they found views offensive that were from my Instagram that regarded pro-life discussions,” DeJong said, adding that those views were “conservative views that millions of Americans hold that are being discussed right now.”

Because of her viewpoints on contentious issues facing America today, ones impacting the lives, livelihoods, rights, and security of countless individuals—such as abortion, defunding the police, and Black Lives Matter—the school took administrative steps to bring her bright mind to heel.

Adding insult to injury, DeJong’s teacher followed up by sending an email to some 30 of her classmates, informing them she was being investigated. This pressure successfully chilled her speaking, effectively silencing her from further discussion, even in the classroom.

“I was living in fear with my speech and so I was very scared to even defend myself, and so I remained very quiet,” she said, adding that she felt “sadness for what was going on.”

“I went in with the mindset that it’s a university, so diversity of thought should be welcomed,” DeJong added. “It should be a marketplace of ideas where you can engage in dialogue … where you’re truly picking things apart and learning, and learning from other people.

“Freedom of speech, the First Amendment, needs to be upheld within university systems so that students can fully engage in the marketplace of ideas.”

So let’s be clear here. Ms. DeJong was castigated and punished by SIU,E because she held conservative views, and was not adverse to voicing these views during classroom discussions. Because some woke Karen was offended by what Maggie DeJong said, Maggie DeJong was convicted and punished … all without a chance to defend herself.

 The university’s punitive approach to learning, reinforced victimhood behavior rather than encouraging civil discourse.

DeJong, along with the Alliance Defending Freedom, is now suing the school for violating her First Amendment rights to free speech and religious belief. Her Christian beliefs are part of what shape her worldview. DeJong is seeking a change in the school’s policy, vindication from the no contact order, and remediation for damages.

I hope that Ms. DeJong and her lawyers take SIU,E to the woodshed. Only if that school is forced to pay a large amount of do-re-mi for what they did, will this sort of autocratic behavior stop.

Go, Maggie, go!

7/3/22

californiacontrarian

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