The start of the educational year is approaching and we are being prepared for the continuing surrender to the mobs that we witnessed during the last academic year. Instead of preparing for the return to orderly education, we are witnessing the preparation of alibis for lack of the ability to provide what they have been contracted to do: provide a safe environment for their students to receive the educational opportunities they have paid for and instructors to teach their courses as they have planned.
What needs to be done? The administrations of all educational institutions should announce that they are in charge, will make the rules and enforce them. Especially at every college or university, those in charge should review and strengthen all rules governing what is allowed or not allowed on campus grounds, along with the penalties that will take place when they are broken. These responsibilities must be printed and distributed to all members of the community at the start of the school year. Billboards should be posted at every entrance to the community outlining these regulations.
Just as those now advertising the actions that they intend to take in support of their beliefs during the coming school year, they should be met by the administration planning actions to counter these plans when rules are violated. The administration must make known both internal and external policies that will be sought and followed. Internally, suspensions or expulsions. Externally, the use of law enforcement including the involvement of police departments and the court system. Charges must be instituted and followed when violations occur. To take actions and then cancel them as has happened only encourages the conduct one wants to discourage. Any organization charted by the institution that violates rules of the institution must be suspended and any financial contributions discontinued.
To allow lawlessness to take place under “academic freedom” is foolhardy and self-destructive. All members of the academic community must be allowed to feel safe and free of threats both mental or physical.
The scenes we witnessed in the past must not be allowed to take place in the future. The future is now!
