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Watchdog Organization Takes Aim at California University for Defending Pro-Abortion Vandals

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California State University, Fresno, has come under fire for protecting a pro-abortion vandal who tore down a number of pro-life fliers.

Bernadette Tasy and two other members of Fresno State Students For Life were posting fliers on a “general posting” bulletin board at the university on April 10 when they heard their flyers being torn down and saw them go missing, according to Alliance Defending Freedom.

When they moved to replace the flyers, a student walked past them and ripped the flyers out of their hands before ripping some of the remaining flyers off the bulletin board.

Tasy reported the event and was informed on June 10 by campus police that the investigation into the culprit had been referred to Student Affairs.

After a period of silence, Tasy contacted the Office of Student Conduct on June 20 to inquire if any progress had been made in finding the student who tore down the flyers.

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The university responded the next morning, writing, “the information you have requested cannot be provided” because “students’ disciplinary records are confidential,” according to Alliance Defending Freedom’s July 3 letter written to the university on behalf of the pro-life students.

The university refers to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), seeking to justify its denial of Tasy’s request.

The act does not, however, prevent Fresno State from revealing the information.

“An educational institution may release an education record if the ‘disclosure … is to a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence,’” Christian legal nonprofit ADF wrote, citing FERPA.

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“Students deserve to know if and how their administrators choose to deal with acts of vandalism that target them and their point of view,” ADF legal counsel Travis Barham said in a statement.

Fresno State “investigated the incident, identified the perpetrator, held a student-conduct hearing, and addressed the issue appropriately,” a university spokesperson told Campus Reform.

“The University only discloses disciplinary action consequences in instances where required by law or in cases of sexual misconduct or potential harm to the University community’s safety.”

The California university also found itself in hot water in April after one of its professors called the late former first lady Barbara Bush an “amazing racist” and said she is “happy the witch is dead.”

That professor, Randa Jarrar, was not disciplined in that case, The Washington Post reported.

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“Her comments, although disgraceful, are protected free speech under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, although Professor Jarrar used tenure to defend her behavior, this private action is an issue of free speech and not related to her job or tenure,” university President Joseph Castro wrote. “Therefore, the university does not have justification to support taking any disciplinary action. Professor Jarrar will remain on leave through the Spring semester, which she had previously requested before this incident.

“This matter has highlighted some important issues that deserve further consultation with our academic leadership.”

A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

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