In light of political protests on the Texas State campus in the past few
years, it’s interesting to note that this is nothing new in San Marcos.
Consider the situation with the San Marcos 10 – 10 students at Texas State
University (then called Southwest Texas State University) took part in a
protest against the Vietnam War on campus, but were suspended and expelled from
the university in 1969.
Check out this brief video by The University Star: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ygdK1awjMA#t=15
Also, listen to this NPR report broadcast from Oct. 23, 2001, in which two
of the San Marcos Ten were interviewed: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1131946
Consider that this interview was conducted less than two months after the
terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001.
After you watch and listen to these reports, return here and add a comment
with your reaction. Also, consider whether there are any causes -- political,
environmental, social or otherwise -- that would motivate you to take part in a
protest.
Please remember to include your first name, last name initial and class (MW class or online).
71 comments:
ALYSE, G (ONLINE) -- The University shouldn't have suspended them; they weren't disrupting the education process or causing harm to others. The University only suspended them because it's a conflict of ideas, which is not right. I would be involved in the protest if it was environmental or political related; just being involved will make a difference. After watching the Youtube video, I can say that I'm mad at our University, but what else is new? The University has terrible public relations practice and Trauth doesn't give any real solutions. But by suspending the San Marcos Ten, not giving them college credit, and dropping their GPAs, the University screams closemindedness.
I was very surprised to hear this actually, as Texas State now is much more of an open and free place. Hearing that not only were the students expelled, but also with no credit given is about as hard of punishment the school could give. It reset all of their college careers, but made an example out of them in front of all students. They even fired on of their own professors, and if TXST is willing to exhile both students and professors, what else can they do to estrange their life and blood? I don't think the university had the right to do this to their patrons, even if in an older time with more geo-complexity than now.
Grant Langford, MW
TXST suspending these 10 students seems insane to me. I can't believe their GPAs dropped all the way down to 0 and their money invested into the school went to waste. One of the former students that was suspended from this event but eventually graduated at TXST didn't even get to walk across the stage to receive their degree due to "computer mistake"; If that was me i'd be infuriated. It's crazy to me to think about how this actually happened to the same university that I attend.
I would protest if there was an environmental or social issue that Texas State was directly involved in that I did not agree with.
Gage Neumann, Online
I believe Texas State did have the right to suspend the students. They were, even by being silent, trying to get a rise out of the crowd on school grounds. This disrupted the educational process. However, Texas State took advantage of the situation, which was small to begin with, and made it a big deal. I have no idea how expelling the students and nearly ruining their academic futures benefited anyone. The students did the right thing by taking their situation to court. I think their case may have had a different result if it had been decided on by a jury rather than a judge.
I personally don't think that anything would motivate me enough to take part in a protest at Texas State.
Diamond P online
I strongly feel as though the university was in the wrong by suspending the students. The biggest attraction that I had to Texas State was the element of diversity and that we were allowed to express our feelings on campus. We are allowed to respectfully protest and this factor makes the student body feel important on their campus. I personally would participate in a protest on campus, but only by the means if I really agreed with the issue at hands. At this moment. I don't feel strongly about any issues, so I wouldn't abuse the freedom that we already have. I believe that is where the campus runs into some problems when students abuse the freedom we are given.
Tatum Kosiara, M/W
I believe the University took things too far with suspending the students and dropping their GPAs to zero potentially ruining the rest of their college career. The right to protest is protected in the constitution and txst is a public university. If these protests had been violent in the past or there was violence during it I would understand their worry to step in to protect the students but this was not the case at all. The students were being peaceful. Their excuse of "the students watching the protest becoming violent" is weak. That is the choice of the other students, not the protestors. THOSE students should be reprimanded, not the peaceful protestors. They weren't disrupting anyone. You can ignore the protestors, go around, mind your business and keep walking to class. People have free will. Engaging with them is a personal choice and those students are making the personal choice to "distract themselves from their education". I think silencing rhetoric that you don't agree with is dangerous and not how we come up with real solutions or find peace and the university set a dangerous precedent by taking these actions. It's crazy to me how I have never heard about this also.
Alexandra Ramirez, MC4301 Online
I'm actually pretty surprised that the students were suspended along with their GPAs being dropped. I don't necessarily feel it was, well, necessary to do any of these things. Of course, back then things were way different than they are now. I haven't been at the University too long, but from my understanding, Texas State is much more open to everyone's opinion/view. I will say that I don't understand the reasoning of "students becoming violent just from watching." I mean, that was the choice of each of those students; the protestors didn't make them do anything.
I don't think I would participate in a protest on campus in a matter like this. I would be more into something along the lines of clean energy and such.
Michael Sandstrom (online)
I do not agree with how the school handled the situation at all, but it is not surprising. We always have protestors at school that cause a lot of noise and there are no consequences. Which I understand is a right that we have to respect, wether with or against. But I do hate that it took that much time for us to get to this place in being able to voice our opinions or oppose someone else. Personally, I do not agree with the schools actions but it makes me proud to be among alumni who believed in something enough to protest. It was also unfair that the guy couldn't walk the stage in the end but I am glad he decided to go back and try again. It is a bold move.
I do see myself protesting under the write circumstances. There is so much inequality in the world that won't change unless we do it. ourselves.
I don’t believe that the dean had any reasonable grounds for kicking these students out of school. The dean said himself that the protest was not causing a disruption to the education process and the reason he made people leave is because of the possibility that it might. These students were expressing their freedom of speech rights in a civil manner and should not be excluded from getting an education in consequence of standing up for what they believe is right. As Bill Cunningham stated, the administrators were the only ones violating the first amendment. I’m not a person that usually gets involved in protesting, but I do believe it’s freedom of expression and no one should be punished for it.
Rylee Kotzur M/W
Taking away credit from students was absolutely wrong. Kicking them out of the University for peacefully protesting was wrong enough, but to take away credit that has already been earned was atrocious. The University was, absolutely, in the wrong for what they did to the San Marcos 10. This is a public University and the students weren't protesting in a building or in a classroom, so they had the right to protest the way they did which incited no violence. These were difficult and important times for everyone's rights and I believe the San Marcos 10 serves as a great example. The Vietnam War was highly controversial and it didn't make the government look good, but it prompted many important cases.
Something that would motivate me to take part in protest would be the lack of environmental policies our government currently has.
William Skeen
Media Law M/W Online
Altemus, J. - Online class. It is interesting that such a blatant disregard for the First Amendment was allowed to stand. It seems certain that if this case had reached the USSC it would have been reversed. Yet, many cases like this occur everyday. The only way to stop administrators from begaving this way is a one- in-one-hundred shot at appealing to a high enough court. The establishment can quickly demand "justice" by arresting and suspending students, and the only remedy for the students is basically a lottery of an appeal process. I could see myself protesting this behavior specifically and demanding a more efficient judiciary.
After hearing about how the suspensions were handled in court, it sounds like the basis of the decision could has been based on "Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District" in the sense that their protests disrupted the educational environment. I think that's total crap. Silently protesting with anti-war signage on campus is not going to prevent other students from whatever is going on inside their classes. Sure, maybe it disrupts the learning of the protestors, but I think the suspensions took it way too far. I could care less if LBJ was in office at the time and the protests were coming from where he graduated. It partly seems like the school wanted to support his decisions as president regarding the war, but that's a rabbit hole we don't need to go down. All in all, I'm stunned that our university would do something like this, especially since they took away the students' class credit. I'm not sure if I would be willing to participate in on-campus protests at Texas State.
Nichole Black M/W
I believe what Texas State did was completely wrong an unfair. I can't believe they suspended these 10 students and dropped their GPAs to 0 just for expressing their opinions. By doing this the student's future could have been ruined. This protest was a peaceful one and was not disrupting the functioning of the school. I think the reason why the university did this was simply because they did share the same views as these students. This is a public university and students have the right of freedom of speech. You do not have to participate in a protest if you do not want to and can always walk away so I do not see how the students watching the protest " became violent."
I am very big on sharing my opinions with everyone and I am not afraid of standing up for what I believe in. I would most definitely participate in a protest i believed in no matter the cause ( political, environmental, etc..)
Lessly Lopez/ Online Class
I am shocked, like many of my classmates, to hear of something of this magnitude happen within our near and dear University. It's difficult to hear of injustice, especially as it pertains to what is now a fairly progressive, liberal and open University culture. I give paramount respect to the San Marcos 10 for pursuing a course of peaceful action that they saw essential and fit to the political climate of their time. The administration's rationalization for giving these 10 disciplinary actions was senseless and dumb; it proves how institutions find counter, misconstrued ways to define their malicious intents of oppressing people. I can't say that if my education was used as a bargaining chip that I would've stayed, so I'm so proud of these individuals for not letting fear overtake their efforts to preach peace and not war.
Another consideration is that educated people are to be open about other viewpoints, messages and ideologies. You certainly don't have to adopt anything, but it's democratic and wise to hear others and make a decision of your own without causing violence or as the administration did- misconstrued their peace as violence. It was clear that the administration had their own beliefs, beliefs they saw sovereign and not to be questioned.. and that's not how Constitutional rights work.
I'm very driven to speak out for social causes and then especially when people are being marginalized at the legislative level which leads to political protests and rallies for new candidates. I'm very motivated and touched by people and how heartbreaking stories and livelihoods can be, and my empathy leads to a drive to say/do something about it. I'm currently rallying for a new president; looking forward to fall 2020! :)
Ashley Charlize FIgueroa, MW 11:00am
Peaceful protesting has to be exactly that - peaceful. A lot of students sat silently but once chants and cheers start, it can potentially interfere with educational instruction. However, I believe the University's actions were extreme. The fact that their GPA'S dropped to 0 just for expressing their opinions seems over-the-top. There are better ways to deal with this. Start with a less harsh punishment for something as small as this and if the students still act out or it gets worse, then create harsher punishments.
Kayla Cowling
Monday, Wednesday 11:00 am
Joe Robledo
Monday, Wednesday 11:00 a.m.
Every university has a dark history, while I did not know about this particular event in Texas State's history it does not surprise me. During the Vietnam War there were numerous protests being broken up and deemed as violent when they weren't and the protestors were always deemed as criminals. Society was very different during this time period, protests were seen as unnecessary while today they are all about free speech and exercising our voice in society.
Now for this particular event I disagree with Texas State's harsh punishment for these students. Destroying their hard-earned GPA which takes years to accumulate is absolutely insane. Whats even more crazy is that these students perhaps knew this was going to happen and protested anyway. That shows absolute belief in their cause which is honorable whether you agree with this punishment or not. Given our current political climate I feel like something like this will happen eventually whether it's on TXST campus or another college's campus. We will simply have to wait and see.
Ashlyn Hubertus
Monday Wednesday 11:00 AM
I was surprised to learn this occurred at Southwest Texas State University. It should not have happened and the school should not have dropped the remaining 10 GPA's to a 0. it was a peaceful protest and did not disrupt any classes that were occurring on campus. I also do not believe justice was served in making those students drop out and be expelled, due to an anti-war, peaceful protest.
I hate that this happened at a school I attend. The fact that these 10 students were expelled simply for expressing how they feel. I understand how a protest can get out of hand, however what Texas State did was very extreme. If people have opinions they want to share, they deserve the right to do so. It very much seems as though because LBJ was president at the time, the school was conforming to his political views and took it very far. I do not agree with what Texas State did.
Jailene Polanco (online)
Hearing about the way the university officials handled this situation shocks me. I am a senior here at Texas State, and I have seen a lot of people get loud and rowdy at the stallions. As far as I've heard from this story, these students were just sitting silently, peacefully protesting for what they believe in. I would imagine that if this were to take place today at Texas State for any reason, that the university wouldn't stop them for exercising their first amendment rights. It is very surprising and disappointing that the university expelled these 10 students and dropped their GPA's, for doing something that is protected under the constitution. I obviously wasn't alive during the Vietnam War, but I think about why Texas State would want to take such harsh action against these students. I imagine the political climate at this time was extremely tense. However, that does not make it OK for SWT for doing what it did.
Cailey Craig (MW 11am)
I never would have known about this situation without taking this class. I honestly hate that this happened on campus. The university definitely should not have arrested the students, it was their right to speak about what they believed in, especially if they were not causing any harm. If anything a suspension would have been enough. Not dropping their GPA to 0 and not giving them any college credit.
Monica Silva (Online)
It is hard to believe that something like this could happen, especially at Texas State. The San Marcos 10 were protesting peacefully. They wanted to express their feelings and stand up for what they believed in. Yet, they were punished by their GPA dropping to 0 and were suspended/ expelled. Even though they tried to appeal through the board of regions, they were unsuccessful. It’s disheartening to think that the board would disregard all of the students hard work and uphold their punishments. Not only was the school against them, but so was the court. The court ruled that they were interfering in the free flow of the educational process by the crowds and publicity. It’s unbelievable to think that everybody was against the San Marcos 10’s protest. The disciplinary actions were outlandish and unfair. They had a right to protest peacefully and express their beliefs.
I also think being a young adult in college is the time to express yourself and have that freedom to stand up for your viewpoints. Its difficult to comprehend that grown adults wanted to silence the youth and diminish their courageous actions. I honestly respect the San Marcos 10 for sticking their ground and leading the way for current bobcats to engage in peaceful protests and the freedom to speak their truth.
I have a passion for social causes and would take part in a protest in a heartbeat. I believe that in order for change to happen, you have to bring awareness to the issues. Which is why I would not shy away from any protest that I feel strongly about the cause that it’s representing.
Milaura Singletary
Online
I was surprised to hear that the students were not only expelled but had their GPA's dropped to zero. Based on the images from the YouTube video, it looks like students were protesting politely so I can't really see where the harm would have been. For me personally, I would have to be heavily invested in the topic of interest in order for me to protest.
Ty Raymond MW 11AM
I am especially surprised that the students were suspended and expelled, especially since it happened in 1969, after Yates v. United States, and was at a public forum. The argument that they were disrupting education seems unfounded, as it was a silent protest and the protesters were not the ones making the noise. It seems as though the University was arguing that they were limiting how they were saying it rather than what they were saying, which to me appears completely untrue, but unfortunately their expulsion and suspensions were upheld. I think there was a situation last semester in which students protesting hate groups at the stallions were arrested and this kind of reminds me of that, I don't remember the details though. I would happily join a protest that I believe would bring about a positive change in society.
I think the saddest part to me about the ending of the San Marcos 10 is that they were punished for doing a silent and peaceful protest. They weren't yelling or destroying things, yet they were expelled? How is that fair? Especially if the protest is not inciting violence, yet they were punished because of the potential for inciting violence? I wish I had learned about this in my Texas history class, every student should know about the San Marcos 10. I would take part in a protest that was silent. I wouldn't even want to hold a sign, but I would stand with a group to stand up for environmental and social rights.
MW Class- Bailey B
Madelyne Martinez (online)
I find it absolutely crazy that these ten students were expelled for their actions. Texas state has always been a campus that is very open to free speech so this action really confuses me. Since the protest was peaceful and non violent, why did such harsh punishment have to take place. Dropping their GPA down to a 0 seems way to much for peacefully protesting.
Tabitha R. MW
It’s interesting that the University chose to prosecute these students so heavily. I most likely would have followed those who left when they were threatened with disciplinary action. However, I do admire the tenacity of those ten students who held their ground. I felt more inclined to side with the students simply because it was a silent protest. The right to protest is protected by the Constitution, but public universities are limited public forums. We must accept the fact that they can enact rules and regulation that may limit our free speech. In this case, the crowd that had gathered around the protest was the disturbance, but the protesters paid the price. I’ve seen plenty of disruptive protesters around the stallions who hold up gruesome, graphic images of unborn babies right before I go into exams. I think that disrupts the flow of my day a little, does that mean that they must relinquish their constitutional right to free speech? You have to take into account that this happened almost 50 years ago. If this same protest were to happen today, it’s unlikely the same action would be taken.
Skylar Whinery
I believe that Southwest Texas State messed up big time with this decision. This was a simple protest that involved no harm. All the 10 student did were sit at the statue and state their stance on the war. The university completely took away the first amendment from the students. For the school to have a yellow zone is also a little alarming. If the school has grey area for laws, what is stopping them from doing something like that with another protest today? If it were around the time that the towers were hit, I would expect the school to allow its students to express their feelings on the situation that impacted their own country. Freedom of speech is given to every person in this country, and for a school to take that amendment away from its own students is very upsetting.
It really surprised me that the 10 students were suspended and their GPA down to 0, in my opinion that was extreme. I understand how many expressions of speech can be seen as conflicting to university authorities but this case shows a clear example of how freedom of speech has its limitations for certain people. It's also shocking how many years later some of the students that form part of the San Marcos 10 still had struggles because of that one protest. All they did is expressing their opinion in a public space which is completely constitutional and everyone should be allowed to. Me as a Texas State student would like to know that my university would allow me to express myself freely, it would really upset me if I was taken away my right to do so.
Ana Bravo (M-W)
Sonia Garcia
MW
It was interesting to learn about a piece of history that reflects similar protests in the past years. Students come and go in universities, but its obvious through the generations that students will stand up for what they believe in and sometimes it may seem like extreme measures, but in my opinion it is the time to do it. Colleges and universities need a diverse group of ideas shared freely. That being said, it doesn't surprise me that the university would expel these students, but I do not agree with the action it took. Students should be able to express their ideals and beliefs in a nonviolent manor whether unpopular or not. When the university decided to not only expel these students but drop their GPA to 0, that makes me think that they do not value free speech because they pretty much wanted them to have a harder future. They wanted to ensure this kind of event wouldn't happen again, that was their message. I really wish those 10 students had other options then starting over. As a journalist myself, I do not see myself partaking in a protest that I did not stand completely behind. I try to see the bigger picture and see both sides and tell those stories, therefore I probably wouldn't participate.
The punishments that the San Marcos 10 received was unneccessary in my opinion. To be expelled and have your GPA lowered to 0 is something that no student should have to endure. It was almost as if Southwest Texas State wanted to ensure that those 10 individuals would have no tie whatsoever to the university; as if they were ashamed to even have students whose opinions differed from theirs. I have never participated in a protest, but I could envision myself attending one if it was for women's rights, such as reproductive rights. That's a topic I'd vouch in favor for because it directly affects me and other women around me.
Errin P.
MW
Hearing stories like this is hard to react to. On one hand, it makes you want to be upset with both the school and the courts for allowing policies to stand that abuse student rights, as shown by the San Marcos Ten incident. But, on the other hand, stories like this give us faith in the press to defend--or at least attempt to defend--our freedom of speech. I believe there were several heroes in this story; the San Marcos Ten, for fighting for what they believed in; the University Star, for defending the rights of the students; and the student body, for continuing to fight for our freedom of speech.
Jonathan C.
MW
Nereliz Colon, MW
I think the general consensus of this topic is that of disappointment towards Texas State as a whole. For students to be as heavily punished as they were while peacefully protesting without causing any disruptions really sent the message that at the time, Texas State didn't care much about their student population and what/why they were protesting.
While maybe at the time Texas State felt as thought they had to inflict some sort of punishment on these students to prove a point, doing so by expelling them and dropping their GPA's to zero was a for sure abuse of power. Overall, Texas State mishandled this situation to their advantage and those students should not have faced penalties as severe as the ones they received.
Laura Nunez
MW
The university had no right to limit student expression. Especially, since they themselves caused no harm or distraction, it was the people watching around them that did. I strongly believe in freedom of speech and the right to protest, so knowing that 10 students who did that at our university were so severely punished and essentially silenced for having an opposed opinion is frustrating. It was sad to hear they had to start over after they were expelled and lowering their GPA to a 0 was an unnecessary power move from the university. However, although this entire event was disappointing and frankly hard to believe, it's also nice to see how far Texas State University has evolved. I love knowing we now have the freedom to protest and speak freely at the stallions. I also want to thank the San Marcos 10 for, unfortunately, setting the example of what should never happen.
As far as protesting goes, I firmly believe in the power a peaceful protest and would absolutely join if an issue I cared strongly about arose.
Madison Williams MW
The university handled this very poorly. Although I am sure they were facing outside pressures during this very tense time period, that is no excuse to infringe upon someone’s first amendment rights. The punishment of expulsion and dropping the gpa to 0 just seemed overly harsh. The fact of the matter is that the San Marcos ten protested in a peaceful Manner and had every right to do so. The school shouldn’t have acted on a protest, as they simply disagree with the content.
I had never heard of this story before watching the video and listening to the broadcast but I think it's ridiculous that all ten students were expelled and had their GPAs dropped down to 0. I feel like it was wrong that the university went to those extreme lengths to limit the students' freedom of speech rights. I can't imagine this happening today. From what I understand from the information I researched, it was a simple, peaceful protest the students were participating in and they weren't disrupting classes or anything. I feel like the university could have handled this situation much better.
Kristen Pearson (Online)
It’s insane that this happened but it’s not surprising. Throughout my college years and as I get closer to graduating in December, I’ve noticed the lack of solutions that our university president has. Texas State took advantage of the situation and I’m glad David Bayless did not let this discourage as he continued to purse his college career and graduated! By not giving them college credit, dropping their GPAs, and kicking them out for a year they displayed how closedminded they were and, in some ways, still are. If I believe in something strongly enough, I would also stand my ground that is something these students made history for! Nowadays you’ll probably end up getting more exposure for these kinds of things.
Michelle Rivera, MW
I've never heard about this incident before and I find it interesting. I don't feel that the students were treated fairly. They were participating in a SILENT protest and TEN students got kicked out of the university? All for sitting and being silent while they protest? That's so absurd to me! Now, you may say, "well Morgan, they were warned the day beforehand that a disciplinary action would take place," and what I would reply to that would be this: they were not told how severe the disciplinary action would be so the ten students who were kicked out were completely surprised with how drastic they were being punished. To me, the punishment doesn't fit the crime. Also, I think the reason the judge gave as to why they were punished so severely was a bogus reason. The judge said that even though the ten weren't causing any trouble or disrupting class, the crowd that they had surrounding them drew more and more attention to them and the crowd was disrupting classes. Therefore, the ten needed to be punished. This does not seem fair to me one bit!
I wish that I felt so strongly about something that I would want to protest it but honestly I don't. I also don't think that protests really change anything. Maybe I'm being cynical but I just don't. Hopefully one day I can be passionate about something to want to protest it!
Morgan Burnley, MW
It is interesting that this is brought to light because you never hear about things like this on campus and we probably won't see any thing like this again. I wish the university would let students know historic events like this or shed light to it because it is important to the students at Texas State. I thought their first amendment right were violated and they shouldn't have gotten suspended. For me personally I am not a person that really doesn't get involved with things that I haven't been apart of, but I would speak out after the event happened and if there was a student body meeting to support the students, I would 100% go out to support.
Josephfer Williams MW
This is surprising, and, frankly, appalling. This was a peaceful protest at a designated public forum; while the campus can place time, place and manner constraints, they can't prevent students from peacefully protesting. These students didn't do anything to conflict with campus operations. I understand anti-war protests were a controversial issue at the time. As we learned in Gitlow v. New York, mere dissemination of ideas does not endanger the nation. There is no clear and present danger with a bunch of college students sitting in front of a statue, period. I don't understand how on Earth that might cause imminent lawless action, like university officials claimed. Even if the silent protest summoned a large crowd of students, I don't think there is any justification for that disturbing school operations. The students crowded the statue of their own volition.
These poor students should have been left completely unpunished. It doesn't matter that they were previously warned about the consequences -- there shouldn't have BEEN consequences for peaceful protest in front of a public forum in the first place. Expelling them was abuse of power. University officials dropping the students' GPAs to zero is petty bigotry against people with dissenting ideas.
Lauren Rabalais, M/W
As someone who has testified in front of the Texas Senate specifically for the freedom of speech on college campuses, I am abhorred by this. I am the current chairman for the Young Conservatives of Texas at Texas State University, I am no stranger to having my freedom of speech challenged by other students, organizations, and even faculty. That being said, I will strongly support anyone's freedom of speech and right to assemble, so long they are peaceful.
Sebastian Q.
MW 11 am
Leah Lanphear
MW- 11am
It is interesting to me that we have such a clear ruling in the Tinker case the same year as the incident at Texas State University, and the results were so different. Dropping a person’s GPA to 0 to address something that had nothing to do with their scholastic performance is an overreach in and of itself. The university did not appear to prove that there was a substantial disruption of educational activities, and most certainly violated the student’s first amendment rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. A university is a place where public discussions should be encouraged, and civic engagement should be nourished.
I have several issues that I am passionate about; however, I do pick and choose my battles. As a green member of the media, I am hesitant to throw my opinions around; as I would like to gain respect as a journalist who can be thoughtful and weigh differences of opinion carefully. That being said, Thanksgiving dinners can become a little intense when I go home.
I don't think that Texas State had the right to not only expel these 10 students but also take away all their credits and drop their GPA to 0. That seems like far too harsh of a punishment for peacefully protesting the war. They had the right to be protesting in the place they were and they were not causing any harm to other students. They were accusing of disrupting the free flow of the educational process which I believe they were not because they were not causing disruptions during any classes. I think these students 100% had the right to be protesting the way they were.
Ragan Wilson
MW 11-12:20
It's crazy that Texas State expelled these 10 students for excerising the first amendment. Taking their credits away and dropping their GPA to a 0 was totally unnecessary. Why ruin those students future entirely for taking part in something controversial? They were not a disruption nor were they causing any harm to others.
Personally, there are political, environmental, social issues, etc, that I am passionate about but there are times you take action by speaking up and times you take action in silence.
Southwest Texas expelling these 10 individuals because of their choice to protest was wrong. By expelling them, the University was silencing them as well as giving up on their own students' futures. I find it interesting though, how in class, we were talking about the disconnect between the first amendment and campuses. Some schools want to silence their students if what they have to say contradicts the school's views.
Colton H. MW class 11:00am
The US Constitution states clearly that "congress shall make no law...prohibiting the...right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." Therefore, the university was merely silencing the students because they disagreed with their message. This is an extremely disappointing decision because Texas State is a public university with students deserving of basic rights. To quote a justice from the Tinker v. Des Moines decision; "it can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." It is upsetting that this occurred at my university, because there are many things that could motivate me to protest. I would hope students today would be given more respect.
Jamie White MW class
ISAIAH HINTON (MW) - Hearing about the San Marcos 10 is always an interesting topic. They were actually one of the first pieces of information I learned about Texas State. The ten students who got expelled from the university was a surprise to me. Seeing how open-minded the university is today, it was a shock to know these students were treated so harshly. There are a lot of factors going into climate change and environmental issues right now. If there was to be a big protest about it on campus, I could definitely see myself taking part in that. For instance, calls for action to remove straws, put more water bottle refill stations, and implementing more sustainable ways to do stuff on campus would be great. Students here at Texas State should take part in standing up for what they believe in. It's not a luxury many people have.
Nick Carlton MW class 11-12:30
As a recent transfer student to Texas State, this topic is interesting to me. I transferred from the University of Alabama, and there weren't many protests around campus there. However, I have seen quite a few so far during my time here. The San Marcos 10 intrigued me because it is a matter of first amendment rights. These students were warned that there would be consequences if they decided to protest. However, the consequences were harsh and were not clearly defined to the 10 protesters. In 1969, GPA was not as important as it is today, and schooling was not looked at as something that was necessarily important to start a career at the time. The disciplinary actions taken were definitely strict, but I believe that those same consequences were not as significant back then. Although it was a peaceful protest, I believe that because they were warned by the university, the actions taken were severe, yet somewhat necessary. This is due to the ruckus ("Disturbing the studies of other students") this could have caused on campus. The Vietnam War as a whole was controversial, and overall a bit messy to the American people.
Dylan Knight MW Class 11-12:20
This blog post was the first I have heard of the San Marcos 10. The school had taken a political stance on an issue that they had no right to suppress speech on, and punished students for their beliefs. This is a striking happening, for the anti-war efforts and publications that the students transmitted were also removed and the authors punished. The act of denouncing free speech so openly is a blatant disobedience of the First Amendment rights of Americans. The students were passive, and did not disrupt the peace at the then Southwest Texas State University. Students protesting the war were told that they were causing the possibility of disruption, rather than the actual act of disrupting. This is a fabricated conviction, and postponed the development of the student's education.
I believe that the act of protesting is a crucial and precious right that we have as students. However, I am not wired in a way that I prefer to take part in them. The biggest political issues I would happily take part in a protest for would be environmental movements that aim to preserve and create a cleaner environment in State and National Parks. These lands are precious, and soon to be fleeting if we do not aim to protect them.
I was unaware of the story of the San Marcos 10. I believe the school had no right to suspend the students simply because of their protest. The students were not interrupting the learning of other students on campus nor were they posing any immediate danger to other students or staff members. Dropping the students GPA's to 0 and not giving them college credit is simply wrong. The university took the punishment too far.
I believe that the freedom to protest is a basic right afforded to all citizens of the United States and is especially important on college campuses where so many young minds are being shaped. That being said, I do not believe I would take part in a protest on campus.
Sarah A. MW
This was shocking to hear that Texas State University suspended these students but also more shocking/disappointing that the court did not overturn this decision. It's unsettling to know that this is something that can and does happen at school. The fact that this was a peaceful protest in an area that is designated for voicing opinion makes you question if you truly do have a safe space on campus to share opinions and concerns. I would feel compelled to protest any issue that I whole heartedly believe are unjust or create an unsafe environment for myself and/or others.
I would say it's shocking that this would happen at Texas State State but I'm not too surprised. Also with the court cases, we've discussed in class school systems seem to always go against students instead of allowing the free speech/first amendment rights we all have. I don't think expelling the students and completely wiping their GPA was the right thing to do at all. Personally, it would take a lot and have to be something very meaningful for me to participate in a protest.
Vanity Johnson M/W
Graisyn N. MW
I applaud the 10 students for standing firm in protesting for what they believed in. It is ridiculous to me that the punishment was so severe. It is a bit shocking see as how that area is now used as a designated area for exactly that type of thing, and 10 students being expelled and having their entire college career taken from them for that now would be absolutely unheard of, and the university went about that all wrong. If there were a protest centered around something I feel very passionate about, I would join.
I think that the San Marcos 10 were very brave to have stayed even after the warning from the dean. I can't believe that their gpa's dropped to zero, that's insane to me. If that were me I would be livid. Then the fact that only a judge decided this just got me upset, this should have had a jury. I do not agree that they were interrupted the "free flow" of the school. I didn't know that Texas State was a yellow light school. This concerns me and makes me think I am not as free to speak what I want than I thought.
Lesslie Medina M/W
I believe Texas State University (formally Southwest Texas) was completely in the wrong for expelling the 10 students who participated in a silent protest against the Vietnam War on campus. It's extremely shocking that they were given such a harsh punishment of having their GPA's wiped, course credits gone, and being expelled for only sitting down and exercising their Constitutional Rights. Also, the university firing Bill Cunningham, managing editor of the University Star paper at the time, for writing and publishing a piece that criticized the administration for breaking the Constitutional rights of free speech and assembly against the students was ridiculous. I would participate in a silent protest for something I believe in strongly. I do feel as though the university now wouldn't have such extreme measures for punishment in regards to peaceful protests.
Olivia Chaney (Online)
I wish I could say I'm surprised that the San Marcos 10 ended up being oppressed by the school. At the time, these students' ideas conflicted with the school, and as seen in many court cases involving schools, the school shut down the students. What really surprised me was the fact the school not only expelled but their GPA was dropped to 0 essentially erasing all of the courses they took. Personally, I think this is too far, and I think Texas State was completely wrong from doing this. I am even more surprised that the court upheld the schools decision because they "interfered with the free flow of education process." I'm curious why the judge ruled this way. They were on public property in a public school, and were peacefully protesting, they weren't creating a lot of noise and in fact had signs and were sitting around the stallion. Personally, as long I am emotionally invested in something and I genuinely care about the topic, I am willing to protest. The reaction of the school to this particular case and of cases of present day, makes me question my safety, so I am unsure if I would ever protest on campus.
Brianna Steinfort-Springer MW 11am class
Nathanael Lorenzo
M-W 11:00 A.M.
When researching the schools I had planned to attend, I learned of the protests that had been happening at Texas State for several years. Some of my biggest takeaways were that many students (particularly minorities, in recent years) felt underrepresented, and even punished for expressing their free speech rights.
While the issues still stem to this day, it's clear that the university has had anti-free speech policies for decades. We should look at situations without bias and see who the university is targeting in choosing whether or not these "yellow light" rules apply to situations.
A sad and disturbing time in Texas State University history. I read about the protests at Altek where a display case presented some photos and memorabilia from that time. I can only hope that Texas State learned a lesson from that incident and the decisions that were made.
The case of Tinker v Des Moines could have taken a strong grasp at that time, it had a lot of similarities. My opinion of the punishment that was handed down to the handful of students is the same as most of my classmates expressed.
It would be interesting to have a discussion with the current board and president of Texas State to hear what they would have done at that time. What steps and decisions would they make if such a protest would gather today on campus.
I do believe the mix of Vietnam, President Lyndon Johnson and his ties to the school turned political, and pressure from the White House caused the harsh and unforgiving punishment.
Would I protest for an issue that affects me and the possible freedoms, life, and well-being? "Sure"
Best,
Brian Deleon MW 11:00am
I am disappointed that the Texas State University students were condemned for expressing their first amendment rights. Regardless of the time period, since the first amendment rights were adopted in 1971, their values should not have been up to interpretation. Although we were taught in class that student’s first amendment rights have not been fluid, but I do not agree that students don't those rights at all. It is unconstitutional to have a limit on these rights.
Hope Jenkins
A04591887
MW 11-12:20
I do not agree with TXST’s decision when students were suspended and had their GPA dropped for expressing free speech. As a Bobcat, it kind of hurts to see an action like this by our own University. In my opinion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a peaceful protest that is to no bother. There is nothing wrong with speaking your mind and sharing opinions and thoughts, and although others might not agree with it- it is normal. Everyone is different and there is no way everyone thinks the same. Heartbreaking to see.
Pernille Rudolfsen
Online Class
Honestly I didn't know the San Marcos 10 was a thing until know, I'm actually shocked that they had their GPA dropped to zero and expelled for expressing free speech. I hate to see it. I guess I shouldn't be too shocked because not to long ago students were arrested for expressing free speech on campus. I feel like theres nothing wrong with expressing thoughts, feelings and ideas. Not everyone is going to see eye-to-eye and agree with each other if we did life would be boring.
Mylika Granvle
Online Class
The overall situation seemed pretty extreme and could have been handled better by the school. Going from "there will be disciplinary actions" to being expelled, a GPA of zero and no credits earned is pretty ridiculous. Especially for a peaceful protest that wasn't breaking any rules only that it could cause a distraction to the education process. Something like this could completely ruin someones life. For example one of the girls got a degree 20 years later. Personally I'm not a huge protest person because I feel like most of the time it doesn't affect anything. This could be an uneducated opinion but that's how I view it. I understand why people do and that it definitely can bring change. So for there to be a situation where I went out and protested it would have to be a very serious case of our freedoms being tampered with and where every person would make a difference.
Adri S. Online
I am not surprised by the school's actions towards the San Marcos 10. The punishment the students received, having their GPA's dropped to 0 and not giving them college credit is extreme. It is just another example of how the school rulings involving free speech goes against it. Personally, I have to be very emotionally invested to participate in a protest, I have been involved in 2 of them
Oscar Moctezuma
MW 11am
Part of me is surprised that this is my first time hearing about the San Marcos 10, but part of me would expect for it to be downplayed of course. I believe the University could've handled its lot better, and it actually makes me think what would happen if the same situation were to happen on campus today. The students should not have been punished for exercising their first amendment right, and the university definitely shouldn't have went as far as giving them a zero and expelling them.
Alexia Jones
MW 11AM
This whole story came as such a shock to me. I had no idea this was a part of TXST’s history. One thing that is not shocking, the overall opinion that the university was in the wrong. In such a case, the university should’ve been the one institution that was supportive of the students rights. Instead it felt as though the school leveraged their power to create fear through unethical punishment. The entire situation is disheartening but being to to openly discuss and debate such topics as great comparison and example of how we have grown.
Axandria Shepard
Online
How the school handled the situation is wrong in my opinion... but I am not surprised. The school is known for having lots of protesters which is their right. BUT whether you agree or not, it's nice to know that we attend a school that lets us have a voice. It took a while to get there but glad we are there. I do not agree with how this was handled but I understand believing in something strongly enough to protest.
Makensie Hinkle, Online
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