WHAT'S NEXT

Western Washington University: Don't bring hate to campus
  1. Signatures
    100 out of 200
    Petitioning
    1. Director of Career Services Center (+ 2 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Director of Career Services Center (Tina Loudon)
      • Senior VP of Student Services (Eileen Coughlin)
      • President of Western Washington University (Bruce Shepard)
  2. Created By
    Ben Crowther
    Seattle, WA
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Nov 10, 2011

Western Washington University has decide to rescind their invitation to Liberty University after 100 people signed Ben Crowther's petition on Change.org. Ben Crowther said, "Western Washington University came through for its students. They had the courage to stand up to a hateful and homophobic law school and tell them that keeping campus a safe space for students is their number one priority. I applaud them."

In addition to starting a petition on Change.org, Ben organized students and faculty around the issue. They planned to demonstrate in front of the event if the school did not rescind their invitation. 

Ben also met with the Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington to explain why Liberty University's attendance created, "an unsafe atmosphere for queer students." 

Thanks to Ben Crowther, and the students and faculty at Western Washington University, all students can feel safe when attending this event. 

Every year Western puts on the Law School Info Fair. This year the infamously homophobic Liberty University was invited to attend. Liberty was founded by none other than Jerry Falwell (the guy who blamed 9/11 on queer people and called a Teletubby gay). Good ol’ Jerry’s ideology spread to his university. They expel queer students, mark students down for taking pro-gay stances on tests, and encourage reparative therapy, which has been recognized as both ineffective and harmful by the American Psychological Association.

Liberty University stands contrary to Western values against hate and discrimination. They will create an unsafe space for queer students, staff, and faculty and their allies, making them a disservice to everyone. Hate is not a Western value. Tell Western not to bring hate to campus and to formally disinvite Liberty from attending the Law School Info Fair.

 

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Don't bring hate to campus

Greetings,

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Western Washington University.

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Don't bring hate to campus

The Law School Information Fair is an annual event coordinated by the Career Services Center and sponsored by the Center for Law, Diversity, and Justice and the Associated Students Legal Information Center. The fair provides an opportunity for students interested in attending law school to explore ABA accredited schools from around the country in an interactive format. Schools are given a platform to access students, hand out literature, and recruit potential Western students. Recently it has come to our attention that Liberty University was invited and plans to attend the event. Students have begun to voice their alarming dissatisfaction on the attendance of Liberty.

It is clear that Liberty University is a hateful, homophobic college that stands contrary to Western values. Their policies and actions go against Western’s non-discrimination policy, which includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Their presence will create a hostile environment for students, queer and straight alike. It is inappropriate for Western to not only allow but also invite an institution that actively works against the values of Western Washington University, its staff and faculty, and its students.

it is imperative that Western takes affirmative steps to address homophobia on campus. Inviting an institution such as Liberty University will create a hostile and homophobic environment for students, standing contrary to the values and duties of WWU. Their presence on campus will be a disservice for students. Therefore, I formally request that Liberty University not be allowed to attend the WWU Law School Information Fair this year and in the future
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Sincerely,

[Your name]

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