No one at ISU has responded to my requests for a comment. They are hoping this blows over if they pretend nothing happened.
By: Diane Benjamin
Saturday – Redbird Arena, Illinois State University – Central Catholic High School girls basketball team is playing for the State Championship.
Many Central kids arrived at the game wearing patriotic apparel, some with Trump hats saying Make America Great Again. Others wore Trump sweatshirts.
This picture is from the Central Catholic Facebook page.
Before the game started a lady named Melanie Spellmeyer ripped the hat off one of the guys in the front row and told another guy to turn his sweatshirt inside out. She claimed campaigning wasn’t allowed at the game. One father at the game told me who she was, the kids didn’t know. I did confirm her identity with a students.
I’m told Spellmayer was working one of the doors on the main floor for ISU.
I spoke to two fathers who were at the game and one student. All of them told the same story and expressed outrage at how the kids were treated. Spellmeyer must think she is the free speech police for speech she doesn’t approve of.
Tweets from people at the game:
Spellmeyer told the kids with the Trump apparel they would be thrown out of game if they didn’t take off the hats and turn their clothes either backwards or inside out. One father told me Central’s principal talked to her and then made the kids comply, obviously after this pic was taken
.
ISU is a taxpayer-funded school where Free Speech is supposedly encouraged. That must only apply to speech Spellmeyer agrees with.
More tweets from a Central Catholic student, name used with permission:
I have contacted both ISU President Dietz and Director of Athletics Larry Lyons for a comment. If I hear back from either, this story will be updated.
We should be glad Spellmeyer expressed her disdain for the President of the United States. She obviously doesn’t believe elections matter. It must be difficult to function everyday with that much HATE in her heart.. She is the reason Free Speech is imperative, people who interact with her will now know the character of the person they are speaking to.
Spellmeyer is a person who should not be allowed to interact with young people until she gets mental health counseling. Anybody else on the ISU campus in a position of authority spewing the same hate needs help too. Elections have consequences, Spellmeyer thinks she has the right to declare they don’t. How many others just like her exist at ISU?
Now, what is ISU going to do about it?
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Good grief. Even I didn’t like a hat or sweatshirt that said “Obama” on it it’s certainly within their American freedom to wear it. For crying out loud. This person should be ashamed and held accountable.
I totally agree with you. She should not be aloud to work at any events if she can’t keep her points of view to herself..
In response to your question: nothing! ISU will do nothing. I am not a fan of Trump, NOT AT ALL. I think he is a bully, but Spellmeyer’s indicate she is as well. Freedom of speech is freedom of speech. I don’t believe ISU ALLOWS THAT for their students and employees.
http://policy.illinoisstate.edu/academic/4-1-4.shtml
What is this woman’s authority to assult, act threateningly to these high school kids? This sounds like a national story.
[email protected]
I’m so sick and tired of the ” wounded left” who can’t handle one of life’s lessons. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. It over it! I saw cars for 8 long years with Obama stickers and people wearing Obama shirts. I didn’t like it but I never scolded anyone. ISU is a state school. Free speech and diverse ideas are paramount.
Well well A divided House will fall….
My comment on these students from CCHS wearing Trump hats and shirts would be the same if it was Obama hats and shirts with his name. The students were participating in what I am told was show your patriotism day. At some point they were told to remove their Trump hats and turn any Trump shirt inside out.
Like the students are asking on social media the following:
What is the dress code policy posted for Redbird Arena ?
What is the dress code policy for the Illinois High School Association and where was it posted in the Arena or on their website ? Is it in the fine print on the back of the tickets purchased ?
Can a political hat or shirt that has the current President’s name on it not be consider a freedom to wear and who is anyone at a event staff, owners or the “renter” to tell ANYONE to remove a hat or turn your shirt inside out with out just cause ?
I know in all my decades attending of basketball games (Horton & Redbird Arena) over a number of Presidents in office did I see one person ever told to remove or turn their shirts inside out for Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Bush, or Obama. Who will take a role in getting answers and accountability ? It was a basketball game……Not a political rally and there was ZERO violence going on. Give me a break with a Kit Kat bar.
Pursuant to Illinois law, an assault occurs when someone “engages in conduct that places another person in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery. A BATTERY OCCURS WHEN A PERSON causes bodily harm to another or MAKES INSULTING OR PROVOKING PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH ANOTHER. Sep 20, 2016
Battery is punished as a Class A misdemeanor offense. The possible sentence for a battery charge in Illinois is up to one year imprisonment and a fine of $2,500. The judge is authorized to sentence the defendant to probation as opposed to imprisonment. Apr 18, 2010
I believe the parents of these students should take their students to ISU Police Department for a “field trip” with the intent of teaching an on-hands “Civics” class and file a report for Battery.
“Spellmeyer told the kids with the Trump apparel they would be thrown out of game if they didn’t take off the hats and turn their clothes either backwards or inside out. One father told me Central’s principal talked to her and then made the kids comply, obviously after this pic was taken.” < Spellmeyer and the principal = sad day for America, This is the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave! Bravo for the CCHS students! The principal should have stood up for the kids and FREE SPEECH! I am sick and tired that only the libtards think they deserve free speech and no others.
Melanie doesn’t like Trump. Why she wasted her time with what people choose to wear is beyond me. As long as you are not wearing clothing with lewd or obscene content, I am fine with what you want wear.
Now if you show up and do what these two fans did, then you missed the point of intelligent debate:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/patch.com/wisconsin/milwaukee/amp/26773147/wisconsin-punishes-2-fans-who-wore-barack-obama-hillary-clinton-noose-costume
I’d say they deserved that one. Went too far! Big difference between that and wearing a hat or sweatshirt.
A student sitting in the 2nd row from the top, on the left (next to the aisle) is wearing a “Pro Life” shirt. I wonder if that was also considered “political” and had to be worn inside out….
This is just a tiny piece of the Left-wing garbage and thuggery you are supporting EVERY time you make a financial contribution to ISU. Think about it!
http://policy.illinoisstate.edu/academic/4-1-4.shtml
4.1.4 Dress Codes
Illinois State University values freedom of expression as a core principle of the University but recognizes that standards of dress and/or grooming are appropriate in certain specific circumstances. There is no university-wide dress code, but units may set standards with attention to the Student Bill of Rights and in accordance with the following broad principles.
•Dress codes should be developed in fair and open consultation with all affected groups.
•Dress codes must be specifically tailored to the individual course to which they apply and may not be of general applicability.
•Dress codes may be applied in specific circumstances (e.g., clinical settings; performance or presentation; in compliance with OSHA, K-12 policies for work in schools; health departments; other external standards; for reasons of safety.) Dress codes should be relevant to program-specific academic performance, as defined within the Faculty Code of Ethics Policy 3.3.12A (6).
•To the extent possible, dress codes should impact all groups evenly regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, etc.
•Policies should make clear the underlying purpose of the dress code.
•Any penalty for non-compliance should be clearly stated with an opportunity for appeal.
Contact not in our town. They will get right on it.
Sounds like a hate crime.
chuckles!
And yet….there are actual paintings of Barack Obama with the word “HOPE” on the walls in another publically-funded school in Unit 5. SIgns from hate groups like NIOT are in the windows of public schools. But a shirt/hat is offensive. These people are absolutely nuts – and truly think they’re enlightened.
Who is this Spellmeyer person that thinks they can undermine the 1st Amendment, Free Speech in America and arbitrarily make up their own rules? ISU owes the CCHS students an apology and a promise to forgo any future undermining of theirs and others civil rights. ISU should make this apology public.
http://goredbirds.com/mobile/staff.aspx?staff=150
She is the director of ushers and ticket-takers at Redbird Arena. Which means that she has carte blanche power over everything. Therefore no one can challenge what she says.
Director of usher and ticket takers for ISU
She thinks she has her own little kingdom.
Sharing with others to let others know.
Sent from my iPhone
>
Got a link so I don’t have to look it up?
http://goredbirds.com/mobile/staff.aspx?staff=150
Power run amuck!
If ISU was smart, they would diffuse this quickly with an apology. Not Likely. Where is Jay Groves on this?
While I disagree with the enforcement of this dress code (just as I would if they went around and had kids take off Clinton, Sanders, or Obama t-shirts or hats), my question would be if this was a decision made by the IHSA administration, ISU as the facility hosting the event, or the individual?
ISU hosts these championships in concert with BNCVB running these bids. It would be interesting to see who actually calls the shots on hosting the event. For example, I know performers at the Coliseum can write requests into their contracts that the Coliseum would have to abide by if they decide to sign the agreement. In turn, IHSA can tell ISU, if you are the facility we use, these are the rules we operate under. Perhaps reaching out to the IHSA administration would also gather clarification on what happened, and perhaps an apology.
Yet ISU begs for community support in all that they do! They couldn’t survive without the taxpayers. They wouldn’t even exist without the 1st Amendment!
Melanie Spellmeyer ripped the hat off one of the guys in the front row and told another guy to turn his sweatshirt inside out. She claimed campaigning wasn’t allowed at the game. HOW DOES THE WEARING OF TRUMP RELATED GEAR OF ANY KIND EQUAL CAMPAIGNING WHEN THE CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND HE IS NOW THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES? Where was she when all of the Obama shirts and caps were worn to the games at ISU even when the campaign was fully active and before he was elected? Where was she when the Obama supporters continued to wear their same gear to games?
Any response BLNNEWS from the ISU administration or athletics department?
Not a peep, call, email, or any acknowledgement.
I guess Melanie Spellmeyer is just another loser Clintonite. I won’t be attending any ISU functions until she is gone from her head usherite position!
Here is a response from one of her longtime ushers on your FB page…….I guess Rita is smart enough to interpret the law in her own way.
Rita Presson It is against state law to have any type of politics on state property and that is why an adult was approached and told hats, signs and shirts must be removed. Before anyone says more about this they should check the law. With the current uproar over the new President the I would hope they understand why this was against state law.
So the ISU kids can’t wear political apparel either then. Gee, nobody told them. The law is meant for State employees to not campaign on public property, not to limit freedom of speech for anybody who sets foot on public property!
State law enforced by the General Rules of the University of Illinois established by the Board of Trustees.
Consistent with these requirements, University property and services (e.g., space and equipment, campus mail, computers and e-mail, postage, photocopying and fax, vehicles, etc.) may not be used for political campaign activities. This stipulation applies both to University faculty, staff and students, and to individuals external to the University.
Note that this does not say for any politics, for if it did, then the University could not have a political department, if literally interpreted. This policy is further defined in the State of Illinois Ethics Rules that it is talking about the use of State Resources including employee time while being paid by the State. Please also note that it specifically says used for political campaign activities. The major purpose for the Basketball game was to have teams compete for the State Championship, not political activities. The major purpose for the University was to rent the facility and make money and the side effect was that the University may make itself more attractive to potential students. Again, none of the involved a political campaign. What we see is a University that has misinterpreted the law and violated the Free Speech of those who paid to attend. It is a known fact that true political campaign activities are supported in violation of this very rule as the NIOT, BLM and other “protests” have used their facilities and in some cases where the University receives no “rent” and thus the University property and services are contributions to the political campaign activities.
Has anyone heard from NIOT or Mike Matejka? I am sure they are planning a march at the BCPA to protest this hate crime and I don’t want to miss it.
MIA! Ha
Who can we email to express our dismay?
[email protected]
She’s on Twitter as Spellmeyer12. She retweets Bernie Sanders on February 23 that says….”One of the greatest struggles in human existence is to overcome our fear of people who are different than we are”
Unless you’re a Trump supporter. She’s a great example of how the left will not overcome their fear of Trump supporters – people who are different than they are.
Isn’t that interesting?
Before we start blaming this ALL on ISU, let’s make sure this isn’t an IHSA policy. Remember, it was their event. Either way, this should not have happened and she should be held accountable for her actions.
Sound like her and her partner, Wendy Smith, are two very similar cold hearted people with positions not suited for them.
First, if you are publishing written word as a supposed journalist please proof read your material; typos make it look as if you zero journalistic integrity. Second, this was an IHSA event at an ISU facility so any comments about ISU and ISU regulations and by-laws are a moot point. Thirdly, reading a second hand account of supposed actions (none of which are founded with actual proof, stating two individuals repeated similar stories is not indeed “evidence”) and then proceeding to slander another individual, going as far as releasing her twitter handle, not only makes you as a collective whole look unintelligent but is also ethically wrong. There is no actual proof a hat was forcibly removed, there was no actual confrontation – items with certain slogans were asked to be removed and the students complied. I am a parent of a student that was in that crowd and have heard multiple renditions of the story (because teenagers are not necessarily the most reliable sources) and quite frankly am appalled by the “mob mentality” surrounding this. Are we so quick to call someone hateful yet throw hate-filled comments toward them in defense? You are making comments about a human being, that most of you do not know personally… Please take a moment to understand why articles such as this are damaging and harmful. Also, before anyone jumps on the train of “oh this commenter is just another crazy liberal” I am openly conservative and republican – I just think our cause isn’t going to be furthered by igniting hateful and harmful comments.
You are attempting to deflect blame from the person responsible for this whole mess. The kids had the right to wear whatever they wanted to. Spellmeyer had NO RIGHT to tell them anything since nothing they wore was offensive except to her. It wasn’t rational, American, or tolerant of other people’s opinions. Those kids are human too, and this is the only place they have a voice. Thanks for playing – your arguments are ridiculous.
Young people are also impressionable and idealistic as is shown in their tweets. A so-called adult in a service position should behave as a role model and treat all with the respect due.
Nah. Nobody released any information that isn’t available to anyone in the public who does 5 minutes of research. And these tactics exposing injustice and hypocrisy are child’s play compared to those the left uses to destroy the lives of others. The is no slander here.
First: What do typos have to do with journalistic integrity? 2nd: What proof do you have that the IHSA set a particular dress code and where was it posted? 3rd: The article noted that two fathers and one kid witnessed this event of which you only gave credit of two. Simple arithmetic 2 + 1 = 3, as no one here accepts the idiocy of commie core math,,,as you speak of “unintelligent” and ethically wrong. Lol.
The person doing admissions and security were ISU employees, how does this have to do anything with the IHSA ? They did nothing wrong and almost all your points are ignorant, we are standing for what we believe in that’s the issue. Every day people leave and fight for our freedom, so a “Trump hating liberal” can take away our freedom. If you believe that is okay it’s sad!
Those students first amendment rights were violated. If I were there parents I’d be hiring a lawyer & sue ISU & that woman. When the PC police arrive at a taxpayer funded school then its time to shut the doors of the school!
Amen! It is time for the Left’s “playground of criminal destruction” to come to an end!
We’re only funded by the state at 17%. SO, you can only close 17% of the doors.
Time to buy her a drum! What kind of BS is this when you TELL someone they cannot wear a particular “mainstream” garb at ANY event. This woman needs some counseling or a new job. I didn’t approach all the Obama people or go pulling Renner signs out of yards, but THIS is over the top. Wish she would have done it to me. Would have been a free for all. We have a FIRST amendment right in this country and the whiny Damocrats seem to have forgotten that. GET USED TO IT. It’s AMERICA. People fought, were jailed and DIED for this right, and ANYTIME some wanna be “police state bleeding heart liberal” wants to tell ANYONE any different, tell them there’s a deep lake that needs the bottom inspected. And while you’re down there, see IF you can find my lost lures. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
I agree 100% with spellmeyer being out of bounds in her actions.
But it should be noted that the IHSA undoubtably rents facility for this event. They should also hear of this. Try [email protected] (head of board of directors ihsa); or
[email protected] (executive director ihsa); or [email protected] (asst. executive director ihsa). Spellmeyer is at [email protected]….
To the comment about political activities on campus property….well they have voting done there and there have been numerous political events held in the buildings in the past…so those must have been illegal and need to be addressed. Regardless, the ihsa has a responsibility in this and teaching students that 1st amendment rights are not allowed to them is one of them. After all it was patriot’s day I guess….wonder what have been done if someone had worn a shirt with a gun over the USA held by a military veteran saying,
“USA protected by Smith and Wesson”.
Any response from ISU? Don’t they owe some type of statement?
No response! The only owe me a response if they are going to do something about what happened. Evidently they aren’t or it’s a secret. MANY people have filed complaints though.
No response! The only owe me a response if they are going to do something about what happened. Evidently they aren’t or it’s a secret. MANY people have filed complaints though.