By: Diane Benjamin
When the Central Catholic girls were playing basketball at Red Bird Arena for the State Championship, an ISU employee violated their fans free speech rights. She told them they were not allowed to wear anything related to the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
In case you missed the story, see it here: https://blnnews.com/2017/02/27/whats-the-penalty-for-hate-speech/
John Kraft, of Edgar County Watchdogs, filed a FOIA request for everything related to this incident. He received a stack of emails and forwarded them to me.
ISU: You can only legally redact email addresses – NOT NAMES.
I left a message for President Dietz and Larry Lyons, I never received a call. Dan Brady got a response though:
Dan Brady only got involved because of a long email he received from an angry parent.
The FOIA didn’t have anything stating what happened to Melanie Spellmeyer. She is still listed as an ISU employee.
Where is her apology? Doesn’t she owe that to the students she insulted? Has she checked into a mental facility? Trump derangement syndrome needs treatment!
Does Melanie Spellmeyer still have any contact with kids? What action did ISU take to prevent future incidents?
It’s a secret!
Taxpayers are supposed to fund the College, not know what happens there!
See all the emails and texts HERE
The link includes an email from an unhappy donor, the email to Dan Brady, a complaint that was filed, and some misc emails with the names redacted.
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Can’t the Illinois State administration or athletics department simply offer or issue and apology to Central Catholic and it’s students….or maybe Spellmeyer? How difficult would that be?
Sad, so sad. What is America coming to?
I bet they never stopped anyone from wearing anything in support of obbamma.
I am sending an email to Larry Dietz & Larry Lyons from the info in this email. And I am going to go on their Facebook account and make a comment and I hope you do too.
Since it did not bother the usher to call the student out in public, I am sure the usher will not mind making a public apology to him along with his friends at CCHS. It can be turned into a great lesson for all.
Please remember this issue–and ISU using taxpayer money to bring Maxine Waters and Al Sharpton to campus a few years ago, among MANY others–before you even think of making a contribution to this institution.
Ever since they threw out Mr. Bowman, paid off the other guy to leave, and installed Dietz, things have moved sharply left.
As an FYI, President Bowman retired due to health reasons. He could have continued serving in his role as long as he wished. Considering his pension, what incentive did he really have to continue working when he could retire?
Also, the Board of Trustees is a majority registered Republicans (besides the student trustee) since Rauner is a Republican.
The board rarely meets, they aren’t running the school
Please remember this issue: you can only be 17% outraged, since the state only funds ISU at 17%.
I try hard to resist the urge to complain, be offended or ticked off by anything – that’s the left’s game and it’s a lifestyle of victimhood.
But if someone was wearing Obama gear, they’d have been applauded as “enlightened” and “tolerant” and “accepting.”
It’s time we start raising our voices more…playing their game…and beating them at it.
Thanks, Diane for your reporting on this. Obviously, the local “media” is too busy copying and pasting press releases from Tari and Koos to do any real reporting.
WJBC has picked up your story!
They read it here, but it was only a story when when of their advertisers – Dan Brady – got involved. The affected kids are evidently immaterial.