Canceled on Campus: Maggie DeJong’s Story
Maggie DeJong became a victim of “cancel culture” at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville after she shared her beliefs online and in class.
Maggie’s beliefs on topics like religion, politics, critical race theory, and COVID-19 differed from many of her classmates. Instead of engaging in meaningful discussions about these topics, some of Maggie’s classmates said her speech was “harmful” and constituted “harassment” and “microaggressions.”
After some students reported Maggie to SIUE officials simply because she shared her beliefs, the school issued three no-contact orders against her, prohibiting her from having “any contact” or even “indirect communication” with three of her fellow art therapy graduate students. Officials were not able to tell her a single law, policy, or rule she had violated—because she hadn’t violated any.
Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a lawsuit on Maggie’s behalf, and after a favorable ruling from a federal district court, SIUE agreed to settle the case. As part of the settlement, SIUE agreed to revise its policies to protect free speech and require the professors who violated Maggie’s rights to undergo First Amendment training.
Learn more by watching the video below.