University of Iowa Student Wears Ski Mask to Class

[twansalem]

Yesterday, an Iowa student wore a ski mask to class. He didn't do anything else disruptive. Within a few hours of the incident, the university emailed his name and address to the entire student body and faculty. They also banned him from campus for five months. The vice president of student services claimed that he was completely justified in banning him, but gave no actual justification.

http://media.www.dailyiowan.com/media/storage/paper599/news/2007/04/27/Metro/SkiMask.Incident.Results.In.Ban-2885066.shtml

Today the university backed off of their rather extreme position and lifted the ban, and the student is allowed to go back to class, but in some ways the damage has already been done.

http://media.www.dailyiowan.com/media/storage/paper599/news/2007/04/27/Metro/No.Charges.Filed.Against.Ui.Student.Ban.From.Campus.Dropped-2885943.shtml

So basically they decided to punish the guy before they could even prove that he did anything wrong. So wearing a ski mask to lecture is a dumb idea, but can you really justify releasing his name and address and then banning him from campus? They also originally charged him with trespassing (this charge was also dropped), but how can you be trespassing for attending a class that you are registered for?

 

[mrt144]

how cold was it?

 

[twansalem]

Not that cold, probably about 50 degrees F, and raining. It was a poor excuse on his part, and I sort of think that he was just looking for a reaction, but I don't think that a dumb stunt like this deserves what the school did.

 

[Abaddon]

This should be in Turners thead.. ridiculus and silly!

 

[Masquerouge]

If you can't wear a ski mask to class then the terrorists have won.

 

[Perfection]

If you can't wear a cross to class then the terrorists have won.

 

[Masquerouge]

If you can't wear a cross to class then the terrorists have won.

yeah, that too... are you also being sarcastic?

 

[mrt144]

you cant ski on a cross with a mask the terrorists have won.

 

[azzaman333]

Absurdity occurs more often nowadays apparently.

 

[Phlegmak]

University of Iowa Student Wears Ski Mask to Class

Brilliant.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Granting for the sake of discussion that wearing a ski mask to class is a vile and heinous act, this seems a silly way to go about punishing it.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Hm, I'm glad that I didn't keep my sunglasses on in lecture one day this semester just for "kicks" and giggles.

I think universities are in the position right now where they want to put forth a public image which shows how "secure" they are. Of course, it's completely ridiculous, but it makes people feel safer in class, just like confiscating liquids and making you take your shoes off before boarding a jetliner, right? Right?

 

[Urederra]

If you can wear a burka but you can't wear a ski mask to class then the terrorists have won.


I concur with Phegmak, Brilliant.

 

[Godwynn]

Did he wear it during class or did he take it off?

 

[twansalem]

He showed up to class with the ski mask and a hood. He put the hood down, but kept the ski mask on during class.

 

[mrt144]

Hm, I'm glad that I didn't keep my sunglasses on in lecture one day this semester just for "kicks" and giggles.

I think universities are in the position right now where they want to put forth a public image which shows how "secure" they are. Of course, it's completely ridiculous, but it makes people feel safer in class, just like confiscating liquids and making you take your shoes off before boarding a jetliner, right? Right?

who the **** is this worrywart public and how do we kill them?

 

[nonconformist]

I was once asked to leave a store afyter walking in wearing military fatuges, and a kuffiya insurgent-style.

 

[Left]

He showed up to class with the ski mask and a hood. He put the hood down, but kept the ski mask on during class.

I thought the whole situation was stupid until I heard this part.


The University should expell him, not of safety reasons, but for being an enormous tool.

 

[fishjie]

man if a freak like that had showed up in my class, i would have stopped going to class. not worth it. copycat killers always follow in the wake of a major school shooting. weirdos like that? even if they are harmless, not worth the risk.

 

[LucyDuke]

That's bull.

"Whatever the action was, it clearly constituted a disruption of the university process, and, given the hyper concern about safety, we took what we thought were the right prudent actions," he said.

If any consideration at all is given to a "hyper concern about safety", the resulting actions won't be prudent. Those things aren't compatible, you clowns.