I THINK A LOT OF THESE “SPONTANEOUS” PROTESTS ARE GINNED UP BY ADMINISTRATORS WHO STAND TO BENEFIT: Clemson admin offers recusal after students questions relation to protest leader.
Members of another informal student group called WeRoar, which advocates for the elimination of unconstitutional speech policies at Clemson, became concerned early in the protest that the “banana banner” incident would be used as justification for further speech restrictions, and began seeking out information regarding the identity and motivations of the two individuals who confessed to placing the bananas on the banner. . . .
The students encountered Smith again several hours later when they showed up at Sikes Hall to hear Clements announce his response to the protesters’ demands, in the process discovering a surprising personal connection between Smith and the student protesters.
“During this announcement, one of the #Clemson5 approached a man who he identified as his father in an emotional moment,” Hall told Campus Reform. “This student was named DJ Smith, and the man he identified as his father was standing next to none other than Alesia Smith.”
The man, Bryant Smith, has been a vocal defender of the protesters according to WYFF, and recently called on the university to drop trespassing charges against his son and four other students who were arrested last week after refusing to vacate the building as ordered by university officials.
Inferring that Mrs. Smith might be related to Mr. Smith and his son, the students begin asking her whether DJ is her son, to which she would only reply that “he is a student.” After the students repeat the question several times, Mr. Smith interposes himself between the two sides and announces that he is DJ’s father, but refuses to say whether Mrs. Smith is related to either of them.
Video at the link. Plus:
Mr. Smith continued to insist on the illegality of recording him, despite South Carolina laws requiring the consent of only party.
“Oh, ok. I tell you what. I understand what this is. You can take your sunglasses and your camera and film the fact that I don’t care about you but you don’t have my permission to use my likeness,” Mr. Smith said.
The students told Campus Reform that they declined to press charges after reporting the altercation to campus police, but remain troubled by the implications.
“It is disturbing that a woman who is charged with the protection of Clemson students refused to do her duty as her husband assaulted a group of them, and that the incident which prompted this confrontation was the exposing of her own denial of a conflict of interest,” Hall remarked. “It is also disturbing that there is a possibility of her own involvement in preventing the investigation of the arrested #Clemson5 under the student code of conduct, which is her job, particularly since she was aware of the violations committed by her own son.”
“It is disgusting to see that the OCES director has clearly overlooked code of conduct violations of her own son, and has not opened up an investigation,” Brady concurred. “As a University official it is imperative that she investigate all students on violations that she is aware of, and not selectively bring charges up against student groups.”
Campus Reform reached out to Smith for comment after verifying her relationship to DJ and Bryant through social media, but she referred further inquiries to Dr. Miller, stating, “I have recused myself and am not involved in these matters.”
Sounds like a mess.