by JD Davidson
U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance wants to withhold federal money from colleges and universities across the country that refuse to remove disruptive encampments from campuses.
The Ohio Republican said the pro-Palestinian protesters who have appeared on campuses over the past few weeks hate America and called the encampments a national shame.
“We cannot allow people who hate our country to turn campuses into landfills,” Vance said. “My legislation will force colleges and universities to follow the law, protect their students and close these encampments. If they refuse, they will pay a high price. It’s time to put an end to this national shame.”
If schools do not remove the camps, they will be ineligible for five years for institutional and student aid such as Pell grants and federal loans.
Schools would also be required to provide students with the same assistance in the form of subsidies at their own expense. If he fails to do so, he will be charged a tax of 50% of the value of the company’s assets.
Earlier this weekOhio Attorney General Dave Yost has warned college and university leaders that students arrested during protests at Ohio colleges and universities and wearing masks could face misdemeanor charges.
The law came into force in 1953 and targeted the Ku Klux Klan.
According to news reports, at least 40 people were arrested in Ohio during the April protests, and all were charged with trespassing.
Many protesters on several campuses in Ohio wore masks, either black and white checkered patterns or medical-grade face masks.
Violating the state’s concealment law is a fourth-degree felony, punishable by six to 18 months in prison, a fine of up to $5,000 and five years of community control.
– – –
Ohio native J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience at newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He served as a reporter, editor, editor-in-chief and publisher. Davidson is the magazine’s regional editor Central Square.
Photo “JD Vance” by J.D. Vance. Cover photo “Campus Protests” by Beckera1999. CC BY 2.0.
