Education

Penn State Denies Richard Spencer A Platform

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The Pennsylvania State University announced its decision Tuesday to prohibit white nationalist Richard Spencer from speaking at the school.

Eric Barron, president of Penn State, said that police deemed a potential event with Spencer this fall to be “a major security risk,” according to a statement obtained by The Washington Post.

“I disagree profoundly with the content that has been presented publicly about this speaker’s views which are abhorrent and contradictory to our University’s values,” said Barron in his statement. “There is no place for hatred, bigotry or racism in our society and on our campuses.”

The university president went on to say that while Penn State fully embraces free speech, “the First Amendment does not require our University to risk imminent violence,” referencing the Charlottesville white nationalist rally earlier in August.

“After critical assessment by campus police, in consultation with state and federal law enforcement officials, we have determined that Mr. Spencer is not welcome on our campus as this event at this time presents a major security risk to students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus,” Barron said.

“There’s a very recent federal decision involving me and Auburn [University] that is clear and unambiguous,” Spencer told WaPo, referring to the court injunction which enabled him to speak at the Alabama college after the institution first agreed but then later reversed its decision to host him.

But while Auburn University cancelled an already-scheduled event with Spencer, the University of Florida, Texas A&M University, Michigan State University, and now Penn State declined to host events from the start.

The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to Spencer and Penn State for comment, but received none in time for press.

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