A Latina sorority has filed a lawsuit against Greek administrators at the University of Virginia in response to a bizarre new ruling that claimed sorority leaders were hazing members by requiring them to study.
According to the suit, filed in federal court by Sigma Lambda Upsilon, also known as Senoritas Latinas Unidas, U.Va. violated the First Amendment rights of its members by suspending the sorority last year after discovering that the sorority was operating with a requirement that their members log at least 25 study hours per week, an absolutely normal Greek practice at most colleges and universities.
“As a result of the suspension, SLU’s First Amendment rights have been violated because [U.Va.] is denying it the right to free speech and association on [Grounds],” the complaint reads. “As a result of the suspension, SLU has also been discriminated against because Defendant has sanctioned it for no actual misconduct whatsoever.”
According to Virginia state law § 18.2-56, “It shall be unlawful to haze so as to cause bodily injury, any student at any school or institution of higher education,” and any person found guilty of doing so is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
While U.Va.’s misuse of the hazing laws in Virginia is laughably stupid to the point that no serious judge with constitutional training should allow its decision to stand, it does cast light on the fact that the taxpayers of Virginia are subsidizing the salaries of the school administrators who are making these moronic decisions.
The students of Senoritas Latinas Unidas came to U.Va. to learn, as well as grow in fellowship with their fellow sisters through community service and study groups. What makes U.Va.’s decision to sanction them for doing absolutely nothing wrong all the worse is that Greek life at colleges and universities often gets a bad rap for the actions of a few bad apples who do actually engage in hazing practices that lead to students getting hurt or harmed.
Senoritas Latinas Unidas was actually looking out for the well-being of its members by ensuring they log an adequate amount of study hours. U.Va. should recognize that and end the ridiculous suspension.
John Patrick (@john_pat_rick) is a graduate of Canisius College and Georgia Southern University. He interned for Red Alert Politics during the summer of 2012 and has continued to contribute regularly.
