Harvard University removed Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), an alumnus of the Ivy League school, from the Senior Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School on Tuesday.
Douglas Elmendorf, dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, said in a statement that his decision to remove Stefanik “was not about political parties, political ideology, or her choice of candidate for president.” He claimed Stefanik’s comments about election integrity were the grounds for his decision.
“In my assessment, Elise has made public assertions about voter fraud in November’s presidential election that have no basis in evidence, and she has made public statements about court actions related to the election that are incorrect,” wrote Elmendorf.
Stefanik said her removal from the Harvard University advisory committee is a “badge of honor” via statement:
As a conservative Republican, it is a rite of passage and badge of honor to join the long line of leaders who have been boycotted, protested, and canceled by the colleges and universities across America. The decision by Harvard’s administration to cower and cave to the woke Left will continue to erode diversity of thought, public discourse, and ultimately the student experience. The Ivory Tower’s march toward a monoculture of like-minded, intolerant liberal views demonstrates the sneering disdain for everyday Americans and will instill a culture of fear for the students who will understand that a conservative viewpoint will not be tolerated and will be silenced. During my time in Congress serving on the House Committee on Education and Labor, I have already taken on Harvard and won. Building a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress who successfully fought against Harvard’s unconstitutional attack on freedom of association for single-sex organization remains one of my proudest achievements. I relish the opportunity to stand up for freedom of speech and freedom of thought on college campuses across America. Congratulations Harvard, the entire Board of the Institute of Politics now consists only of Joe Biden voters – how reflective of America.
🚨🚨My statement on @Harvard @harvardiop @Kennedy_School bowing to the woke Far-Left 🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/DjvgdqAI1O
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) January 12, 2021
In 2016, Harvard University implemented restrictions on students belonging to men’s or women’s groups, which it labelled “single-gender” organizations. The restrictions included barring such students from student-group leadership positions, being captains of varsity sports teams, or being awarded the university’s endorsement for Rhodes scholarships.
The Washington Post reported, “After adopting the rules, Harvard faced a federal and state lawsuit in Massachusetts. Harvard admitted legal precedent was not on its side and dropped its sanctions policy. The case was settled last August on undisclosed terms.”
Harvard’s withdrawal of its policies against single-sex clubs and organizations ended after Stefanik and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), himself a Harvard alumnus, joined in introducing the Collegiate Freedom of Association Act.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.