Student suspended for gun rights email

[BEK]

A Minnesota university has suspended one of its graduate students who sent two e-mail messages to school officials supporting gun rights.
Hamline University also said that master's student Troy Scheffler, who owns a firearm, would be barred from campus and must receive a mandatory "mental health evaluation" after he sent an e-mail message arguing that law-abiding students should be able to carry firearms on campus for self-defense.
Hamline spokesman Jacqueline Getty declined on Wednesday to answer questions about the suspension, saying that federal privacy laws prohibited the school from commenting. Scheffler had previously waived his privacy rights in a letter to Hamline University President Linda Hanson.
Hamline University President Linda Hanson, who said the school "acted carefully" in suspending its pro-gun rights student

The nonpartisan civil liberties group FIRE, which stands for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, has taken up Scheffler's case, but with no luck so far. In a letter to FIRE on September 28, Hamline's attorneys said the school would not reconsider Scheffler's punishment.
Scheffler had sent the pair of e-mail messages after Hamline offered students counseling after the Virginia Tech shooting in April, which took place half a continent away. His response was that, if administrators were truly concerned about safety on campus, they should "lift a ridiculous conceal carry campus ban and let the students worry about their own 'security.'"
Scheffler is licensed under Minnesota law to carry a concealed sidearm, which requires a background check and specific training.
In May, after word got out about Scheffler's punishment but before FIRE became involved, conservative blogs rallied to his defense. A psychologist in Tennessee called it a case of university officials learning that "a conservative is on the loose on campus." Captain's Quarters interviewed Scheffler about so-called gun-free zones and concluded he was a "nice guy caught up in the academic manifestations of political correctness."
That's the high-level summary. Some of the details are important, though.
Angry e-mails: One point is that while Scheffler's e-mails were not threatening, they were angry and had sexist and racist overtones. Read them for yourself: The first, to Vice President of Student Affairs David Stern, said: "I myself am tired of having to pay my own extremely overpriced tuition to make up for minorities not paying theirs. On top of that, I am sick of seeing them held to a different standard than the white students (Of course its a lower and more lenient standard)."
The second message, to President Linda Hanson, said: "For a 'Christian' university, I am very disappointed in Hamline. With the motif of the curriculum, the atheist professors, jewish and other non-Christian staff, I would charge the school with wanton misrepresentation...3 out of 3 students just in my class that are 'minorities' are planning on returning to Africa and all 3 are getting a free education ON MY DOLLAR." (Hamline is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and claims to promote "the ethics and values of the United Methodist tradition.")
Even some libertarians who think Scheffler was ill-treated have criticized his grammar and approach. A professor at Brooklyn College who believes the suspension was unjustified said he was nevertheless "dismayed that (Scheffler) has progressed to the master's degree level without having mastered some aspects of basic grammar."
"Privacy" rights: What's odd is that Hamline initially claimed the e-mail messages were "threatening" and placed Scheffler on an indefinite suspension that required him to undergo a mental health evaluation, a possible "treatment plan," an interview with the dean of students, and so on. The possibility of "further" internal discipline was also mentioned.
But then, after FIRE pointed out being suspended for expressing political views violated the school's freedom of expression policy, President Hanson retreated to a fallback position. Hanson said that the suspension was also based on "critical input from various members of the Hamline community."
The bizarre thing is that to this day, Hamline has never informed Scheffler what those anonymous allegations were (or who his anonymous accusers are). It claims that Scheffler's formal waiver of his rights under federal privacy law is insufficient because it has to "protect the privacy rights and interests of these other individuals."
FIRE's Harvey Silverglate quipped: "Confidentiality is so protected at American colleges and universities that they don't even let the students know what the charges are!"
Hamline's response: I spoke with Hamline spokesman Jacqueline Getty on the phone on Wednesday and exchanged six e-mail messages with her, but never actually got an answer to why the school wouldn't answer general questions about student free speech rights and due process.
All she gave me was this statement:

Hamline has never suspended a student for advocating for gun rights, nor for advocating for any other rights...As we have already informed FIRE, federal privacy laws that protect the rights of that student actually prevent the university from correcting each item of misinformation on FIRE's press release and from articulating in detail what may have transpired with this student.

This misses the point. If there are serious allegations against Scheffler, he has a right under the student code to hear them and be able to respond. It's hardly appropriate to base a suspension and mandatory psychological evaluation on anonymous and undefined allegations that may not even exist.
It's also inappropriate, especially in light of the Cleveland shooting on Wednesday, to try to squelch discussion of whether holders of concealed carry permits should be able to bring their sidearms on campus. It's already legal at the University of Utah and other states are considering the idea of eliminating victim disarmament zones. That may be a good idea; it may not. But universities should try to encourage debate rather than punish students for poorly written rants broaching the topic.












Here is the email






I was wondering why a swastika painted by some frustrated ladies in their bathroom turned somehow into red flags of a hate crime but you dont consider an asian guy admittedly killing people because he hated them not hate motivated... Anyhow, in response to your most recent email concerning a vigil for people most likely nobody in the school knows; I would like to comment on your claims of upped “security”. I attend a MPLS cohort so I dont see any security in the area ever. Infact it seems the dirty bums on the street are the only ones patrolling anything. I would suggest if you are truley concerned about student security, you lift a ridiculous conceal carry campus ban and let the students worry about their own “security”. VA Tech just recently passed their conceal carry permit ban; we can all see how well that worked for criminal minds. Ironically, many students from VA Tech are in online forums which I can direct you to complaining that 32 people wouldnt have died in the students rights were not infringed by
banning their legal right to carry their arms on their person. They take the argument that they would have shot the guy before he was able to massacre that many people; I on the other hand would argue that the guy wouldnt have even attempted this atrocity not only if we didnt pay for everybody and their mother to come here for free to soak up tuition funds but also that by knowing law abiding citizens carried weapons to defend themselves that criminals wouldnt be so bold to commit crimes against them...

As usual, Im sure this plea of common sense will fall on deaf ears as I recently responded to a general email notifying students of the conceal carry ban...

On a lighter note... For a “Christian” university, I am very disappointed in Hamline. With the motif of the curriculum, the atheist professors, jewish and other non-Christian staff, I would charge the school with wanton misrepresentation.

Yes, I obviously feel that Hamline has been a serious let down, so far I am almost finished with half of my MAPA degree and havent even cracked a book. All the books that came in plastic wrap are still in plastic wrap despite the ridiculous amounts students are charged. I have yet to hear a student in my cohort that is happy with the curriculum or quality of professors. Why does this school charge so much for such a substandard education?

Furthermore, why are you diversity initiatives anti-Euro American (ie white folks)? All over the university grounds I see loads of leftist propaganda, why not warn a student before they enroll at Hamline? It took me complaining to a few different people before even the hamline website finally included white people in the random pictures on the main page. If I remember corrextly it was like 1 white in a picture out of like 12... Now it is obviously better but just goes to show how biased this university is and the painstaking efforts of diversity pandering it does at the expense of people that are actually planning on contributing back to the TAXPAYERS that are footing the bill for your iversity initiatives. In fact, 3 out of 3 students just in my class that are “minorities” are planning on returning to Africa and all 3 are getting a free education ON MY DOLLAR. I bet the staff here is wondering how a swastika ended up in a bathroom... More people than you can imagine are tired of this all. It’s just sad that they resort to petty vandalism rather than speak their mind like I am.

Please stop alienating the students that are working hard every day to pay for their tuition. Maybe you can instruct your staff on sensitivity training towards us “privilaged white folk”. If your staff is going to continually berate the evil white male for this privilage and his racist tendencies, at least have them explain where to find the privilages and point out the evil people that are ruining the world. Strange for how horribly racist Europeans and other white people are that everyone seems to want to exploit our generosity. Maybe someday the favor will be returned but I doubt it seeing what I have so far...

Thanks for your time...
Respectfully,
Troy Scheffler

[Five-0]

This young man needs a good conservative lawyer. He will not have any student loan debt if he plays his cards right.

[213th]

This is bullcrap. I'm writing that college and giving them a piece of my mind...I'll quote the email

[213th]

As promised

Dear Madam President,
I'm writing to you to express my concern about a recent event covered in the news that took place at your University. Having just read an article about how you blatantly retaliated against a student who took the time to express his view points in a non-threatening and intelligent manner, I am extremely concerned about the reprecussions that this may have for other students at Hamline and other Universities around the nation. Mr. Scheffler wrote to you, stating that he believed the unnecessary concealed weapons ban on campus should be revoked, thus allowing your students to become capable to defend themselves if they so desired. Mr. Scheffler in no way was threatening, nor condoning wanton violence, nor was he endorsing the commission of any crimes. He was simply stating that he felt a wrongly instated rule should be revoked. Yet, he was subsequently punished for his outspokeness. Is this what our nations colleges and universities are becoming? A place where open dialogue, freedom of expression and independant thinking are only permitted if they are in line with the faculties views? That is deplorable! I am in shock that a college or university of all places would be the one to punish a student for independant thinking, having the courage to speak out against something that he or she feels is wrong and for not following his leaders blindly and without question. This is an action that I would expect within a communist state, not a university within the United States. If you are looking to graduate students who will follow their leaders blindly to the slaughterhouse, you, Madam President, are on the right track. I am embarrassed that a university such as yours is allowed to exist. However, I will defend, to the death if necessary, your right to run your university how you see fit, even though you will not defend a student's right to express himself.
Most Sincerely,

[Five-0]

213th..............you are right on.

[Pudge]

Unbelievable. Not only should there be a suit filed, but the school should pay his tuition at the school of his choice as part of the damages.

[BEK]

213 the president of Hamline has just sent us an email. I would post it for all to see but basically it says you are "suspended pending a mental health evaluation" because you said the words right to carry and death some place in your letter

[213th]

213 the president of Hamline has just sent us an email. I would post it for all to see but basically it says you are "suspended pending a mental health evaluation" because you said the words right to carry and death some place in your letter

Thats funny! Is an LEF member going to give me the evaluation? (Please don't let it be Jenna)

[ex401mp]

Sure, but we should leave that for RSA.

[Beans]

I am not a huge gun nut at all, I only own one gun. If I was not a cop I would own none. But then again, as cops go, I am as liberal as it gets.
However, this suspension goes a little to far. Shows how wussy the world has become.

[Jenna]

Thats funny! Is an LEF member going to give me the evaluation? (Please don't let it be Jenna)

Mad sheep in glass houses dare not throw stones!

[lewisipso]

I applaud 213th's email. This is truly unbelievable. First it is shameful that all of our educational institutions have become targets for every nut with a gun. However I wonder if Scheffler was truly suspended for his pro gun view or more for his challange of the University administration. He seems to take issue with the free tuition of persons of minority status, lack of Christian leadership and lack of security in general.
This seems to me to be nothing more than an extremely poor attempt on behalf of the University in damage control. Instead of answering the charges head on and providing an explanation, they found Mr. Scheffler an interference to be delt with. A pro weapons attitude was just the excuse. It seems Mr. Scheffler has complained more than once. The University is trying to silence the source.
I hope there is a postive outcome on his behalf.

[Terminator]

Truly ridiculous.

[Buttercup]

Excellent response to that, 213th.

[1*girl]

A mental health evaluation...wtf?



Great response, 213th.

[armsmaster270]

I think the schools administrators should stick their heads up their asses and see if they can find their brains. Of course if only half his allegations are true they aren't administrators, they are bums collecting a check.

[Shoestring]

213TH,

Nice E-Mail, I probably would have not written such a proper letter in response to that crap.

Jenna,

No stone throwing..... breathe......