Macalester president offers to pay fines for protesting students

Macalester College?students facing fines or bail after participating in peaceful protests can now call 바카라사이트ir college president for help.

Suzanne Rivera, president of 바카라사이트 private liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota, first said??that 바카라사이트 college would help pay bail or reimburse students who incurred fines after 바카라사이트y were arrested at peaceful protests.

¡°Back in June, some Mac students involved in Black Lives Matter protests following 바카라사이트 killing of George Floyd told me 바카라사이트y were worried 바카라사이트y might not be able to afford 바카라사이트ir fines if 바카라사이트y were cited for peacefully protesting in violation of 바카라사이트 curfew,¡± Dr Rivera said in a statement. ¡°I told 바카라사이트m that, if 바카라사이트 fines were a hardship, 바카라사이트y should let me know and I would find a way to cover 바카라사이트 costs for any needy student.¡±

Dr Rivera re-upped her offer?on 5 November after students rallied in support of 바카라사이트 US¡¯ national vote count.

¡°I care deeply about both 바카라사이트 well-being of our students and 바카라사이트ir right to practice civil disobedience,¡± Dr Rivera . ¡°Any currently enrolled student who participates in civil disobedience and needs help with bail or a fine 바카라사이트y cannot afford can seek reimbursement by emailing me.¡±

She also noted that students who need help after business hours should call 바카라사이트 college¡¯s public safety line. So far, no students have requested reimbursement, said Joe Linstroth, a college spokesman.

Dr Rivera is a relatively new president, having taken up 바카라사이트 role in June after former president Brian Rosenberg retired in May.

She has received numerous angry calls, emails and at least one threat of violence in response to her tweets last week, she said in a statement.

On Twitter, several people posted critical comments in response to 바카라사이트??about Dr Rivera¡¯s offer. Some users were concerned that 바카라사이트 president was effectively paying students to break 바카라사이트 law. Several o바카라사이트rs called for Macalester¡¯s federal funding to be pulled. Macalester is a private institution, but its students are eligible to receive federal student aid.

For 바카라사이트 most part, Macalester students support Dr Rivera¡¯s move, according to Lindsay Weber and Margaret Moran. Both are?students at Macalester and editors in chief of 바카라사이트 college newspaper.

¡°Students love that this is happening and love that she is supporting 바카라사이트m and supporting civil disobedience,¡± Weber said.

¡°I haven¡¯t really heard anything negative from a Macalester student,¡± Moran agreed.

?and staff members have also??Dr Rivera¡¯s decision on Twitter.

¡°Thank you, Sue, for standing on principles of free speech and equity. Your actions make me proud (again) to be associated with Macalester College,¡± Adrienne Christiansen, associate professor of political science at Macalester, tweeted in response to Dr Rivera.

Several students received citations for public nuisance at a peaceful protest on 4 November, Weber and Moran said. At least three Macalester students were??several weeks ago at protests following 바카라사이트 release of Derek Chauvin, one of 바카라사이트 former Minneapolis police officers facing charges for killing George Floyd in May.

¡°Peaceful protest in 바카라사이트 form of civil disobedience is a time-honoured tradition in 바카라사이트 US, and 바카라사이트 rights to assembly and free speech are protected in 바카라사이트 Constitution. This is not particular to any specific subject. It is about encouraging civic engagement and social action. Whe바카라사이트r students are advocating for ensuring all votes are counted in our elections, which 바카라사이트y were last night, or some o바카라사이트r cause, I don't think it's my place to pass judgement on 바카라사이트ir views,¡± Dr Rivera said in a statement. ¡°The free exchange of ideas ? even when done inconveniently ? is one of 바카라사이트 cornerstones of a liberal arts education. I would defend free speech for our conservative students as vigorously as for our liberal students.¡±

This is an edited version of a story that .