HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: Purdue staffer resigns after allegedly threatening to rape pro-lifers.

A Purdue University employee has resigned following a deluge of social media comments in which he appeared to threaten to rape pro-life supporters.

Jamie Newman, who provides musical accompaniment to Purdue’s Division of Dance, allegedly posted a series of critical comments to an article from abortion opponent Live Action. Those comments were seen as rape threats toward anti-abortion activists.

Newman has denied that his comments were threats and called the accusations an attempt to “destroy” and defame him. The comments were sent to the Purdue University Police Department, which questioned Newman but cleared him of any criminal intent. . . .

On Monday, Purdue President Mitch Daniels defended the university’s decision to call for an apology from Newman without firing him, citing free speech. Daniels did, however, say that the comments from Newman were “the most explicit threat I’ve seen in my three years [as Purdue president].”

As we know, though, anything that makes anyone uncomfortable is a firing offense now.