From the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education:
She'd heard rumors that the guy at the party had a history of problematic behavior toward women. So Syracuse University freshman Samantha Jones went right up to him and asked: Was he a registered sex offender?
Now, Syracuse is enforcing its ban on causing "mental harm" to punish the 18-year-old biology student for her question….
He reported the incident to campus police, who referred the matter to Syracuse's Office of Community Standards. Last month, the University Conduct Board found Jones responsible for violating a ban on "[c]onduct, whether physical, electronic, oral, written or video, which threatens the mental health, physical health, or safety of anyone." Jones has since been placed on disciplinary probation and is required to attend "Decision-Making" and "Conflict Coaching" workshops.
"Accusing someone of something that has no validity, especially being on a sex offender list can harm one's mental health and safety," wrote Syracuse administrator Sheriah Dixon in a December memo detailing Jones' formal punishment. The problem with this assessment? Jones didn't accuse the man of anything. The Conduct Board's own findings conclude plainly that all Jones did was seek clarification about rumors.
Here's the key excerpt from those findings:
