Purdue Student Criticizes Black Lives Matter on Facebook — Then Receives a Letter From University

A Purdue University student has claimed that he faces disciplinary action from his school for criticizing the “Black Lives Matter” movement on Facebook, according to Heat Street.

(EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images)

Joshua Nash, a biology major and a gay conservative, told The College Fix that he recently wrote on Facebook:

“Black Lives Matter is trash because they do not really care about black lives. They simply care about making money and disrupting events for dead people.”

He said the comment was later reported and removed, and his account was suspended for a month.

Then, Nash received a summons from Purdue’s Director of Student Assistance, Leadership, and Conduct.

Apparently I'm racist bc I retweet @MsBlaireWhite's tweets & now my school wants me #Expelled for utilising my #1A pic.twitter.com/klXPjBa5KE

— [CENSORED] ✘ (@ConservativeJZN) July 7, 2016

The summons states, “I have received a report from a community member regarding alleged comments that you made on Facebook. I have scheduled a required Administrative Meeting so that I can get more detailed information.”

Nash told Heat Street that “attempting to silence students with subjective controversial opinions is completely and utterly absurd, and a direct attack on free speech.”

Nash said he has received online threats from fellow students over his post.

“I think the government and public universities are indirectly responsible for the death threats I’ve been receiving,” Nash says. “People, especially students, have been led to believe it is illegal for someone to speak out against them with words that can be seen as ‘harmful.’ ... These students are so adamant about protecting their rights, protecting their feelings, that they don’t realize what they’re doing ... threatening to literally kill someone.”

In a statement to The College Fix, a spokesperson for the university said they have “never suggested, let alone threatened, the idea of disciplining the student in question for exercising his right to freedom of expression.”

“When, as here, an administrative meeting is called with a student on our Calumet campus, the purpose is to explore possible ways to support or establish a dialogue with that student, not to discipline him or her. The idea is to see if there might be a teachable moment opportunity for the student, not to treat it as a conduct matter. Protecting free speech is of central importance to our university,” the spokesperson added.

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