Tag: university of idaho

I am a student at Washington State University, a university that is not even ten miles away from the recent homicides of four students from the University of Idaho. As a journalist, and managing editor of the school paper, I have covered this story ever since WSU sent an alert to its students: “Moscow Police Department investigating homicide near University of Idaho campus. Not aware of any threat to the WSU Pullman Community.” But as a student, I was terrified.

The silence from city officials, the police and UI officials seems so baffling since Sunday, Nov. 13. After people were told about the police finding the bodies of four students, it was very quiet until the names were released on Monday. Then, nothing again. It took a while for the police to finally say the four were killed by an “edged” item. Most people have taken that to mean a knife. The coroner said none of the dead were the perpetrator, ending the murder-suicide theories.

In the early morning hours of Monday, Nov. 14, the University of Idaho’s Office of the Dean of Students contacted various campus ministries in an effort to provide counseling and other services to over 10,000 UI students, faculty and staff in the wake of a homicide investigation. 

The Sept. 23 abortion memo from the University of Idaho’s general counsel created a firestorm felt from Idaho to the White House and beyond. The unexpected and unsigned memo is viewed as strident by faculty, staff and students.

In Idaho's handling of public education at all levels, the state has been racing to the bottom for years. Financial support is continuing to decline, the legislature, dominated by nutjob Republicans, is convinced education at all levels exists to indoctrinate students in left-wing and woke ideology.

The University of Idaho has told its employees that they are not allowed to promote or advocate for abortion and if they do, they could be charged with a crime and fired. The new policy has attracted the attention of many, including an organization dedicated to advocating for the First Amendment.

While the unsigned UI memo may be correct according to state law, it begs the question about the impact on federal law in the state. It also brings to mind the quote from President George Washington: “If freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”