Education

Bama pro-lifers claim victory after official admin apology

Robby Soave Reporter
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Pro-life students at the University of Alabama notched a victory on Tuesday after campus administrators apologized for taking down a pro-life display.

“Please accept my apology that your display was removed without your knowledge two days before your reserved time expired,” said Carl Bacon, Assistant to the Vice President for Collaboration, in an email to Bama Students for Life.

Bacon said the group would be allowed to put the display back up for the last two days of its reserved time.

The display was initially taken down after students complained to an administrator that its content was offensive. University Events Coordinator Donna Lake told student Claire Chretien that any display that offended person had to be removed from public view. (RELATED: U. of Alabama censors pro-life students for ‘offensive’ poster)

Lake’s philosophy violates the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a free speech organization.

At least the university seemed to recognize that fact in its decision to make amends with Bama Students for Life. In a statement, Chretien expressed her gratitude that the university was committed to righting the wrong.

“Bama Students for Life is very grateful to The University of Alabama for correcting this injustice,” she said in a statement. “We are thrilled that the University was so willing to right this wrong so that all students will be able to continue exercising our free speech rights.”

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