Even student newspaper says TX A&M hazers got screwed

[hoosier]

Editorial: Hearing them out

University denied PMC its First Amendment rights
Published: Monday, March 8, 2004

Students should be concerned with the hazing allegations that have surfaced against Texas A&M's Parsons Mounted Cavalry, but they should be furious with the University's immoral and unconstitutional handling of these allegations.

The University's ineptitude in handling this case has been apparent since the very beginning, when charge letters were issued to those accused of hazing, stating they had violated University rules. However, it was not specified in these letters when this supposed conduct occurred, or even what the conduct was or who it had been committed by. This is a sloppy, lazy and arrogant way to pursue a serious matter and merits a firm denunciation from the entire A&M community.

Incredibly, the University sought to deny the accused cadets their First Amendment rights. Accused cadets were put under gag orders not once, but twice by Col. Shady Groves and by the investigative panel created to examine these allegations. This is outrageous. State District Judge Richard Davis, a former member of the Corps of Cadets, ruled that the University must rehear the case and called the attempt to silence the accused cadets "the most amazing position Texas A&M has taken in this case yet" and noted "prior restraints on freedom of speech have long been disfavored in American Law."

These incidents are part of a disturbing pattern of University administrators disregarding students' rights. No matter how damaging allegations might be to the University's reputation, A&M officials have absolutely no right to deny students due process.

The hazing incidents alleged with Parsons Mounted Cavalry are embarrassing, but so is having a former cadet tell A&M that it must always act with conduct becoming of a world-class University.