Since the beginning of the spring semester at the College of the Sequoias, there’s been a trend going around the Visalia campus that has students concerned for their safety at school. Since January, some students and many outside adults have started to gather in the main walkways and gathering areas, spreading hateful and harmful messages.
One of the earliest instances was on January 15th, where a person arrived on campus with a sign saying “ARE YOU ON THE LIST? REPENT OR PERISH,” notably, along with a camerawoman. Since then, these kinds of messages can still be seen on picket signs and business cards floating around campus. As recently as April 1st, a crowd of people prepared with carts, signs and banners have shown up to spread misinformation about abortion. Their slogans include “THE BODY INSIDE YOUR BODY IS NOT YOUR BODY” and “ABORTION PILL: CHILD SACRIFICE AT HOME.” They elected to share gruesome images of fetal gore with the campus, regardless of whether anyone was comfortable or willing to see them on their way to class. The authenticity of the images is also contentious at best. Notably again, students who spoke to them claimed to see GoPro cameras or similar body cameras discreetly attached to their clothes. These people seem to be affiliated with Unborn.com, according to their booklets, which contain 14 pages and dozens of online links to anti-abortion propaganda.
When I spoke to other students on campus about their exposure to these messages, they claimed that this kind of behavior wasn’t present in the last semester. The month of January was also the month in which President Trump was inaugurated, leading many to conclude that the shift in political power towards the far-right had emboldened these groups on and off campus. A political science major claimed that the Central Valley is known for being a right-wing hotspot in California, and that many of the higher-ups in the school’s bureaucracy are affiliated with the Republican party.
On the 31st of March, COS students received an email from Brent Calvin, the Superintendent/President of College of the Sequoias. While many students anticipated some words of reassurance that the school would crack down on the unwelcome guests, many were met with disappointment. Instead, Superintendent Calvin gave students an outline for how to politely disengage with these groups on campus– essentially telling them to ignore them.
“The primary focus for the College is the safety, well-being, and academic success of our students. I know it can be very frustrating when these groups pull attention and resources away from that mission, but in most cases, the law allows them to be on campus and express themselves.” –Brent Calvin, in the school wide email
While many on campus wish they could ignore the messages, it’s almost impossible when they populate the street in which everyone navigates between classes. On top of this, said groups are known for walking up to students, handing them flyers and pamphlets, coercing them to engage and talk while they’re just trying to get to class. While it’s true that the First Amendment protects their freedom to speak and record people on a public campus, there’s a conflict when their messages start to damage students’ self esteem and spread misinformation and guilt.
When I asked how these kinds of messages affected their school experiences, one student replied with “I just want to get to class… I’m tired of seeing this [stuff] on campus.” A student activist remarked, “It’s pathetic how the school is willing to protect these people and not its own students.” Another student, outraged by the email, commented, “This is ridiculous. If they’re pulling resources away from ‘the safety and well-being of students, isn’t that a huge problem?” Whether or not they’re free to show up on campus, it sounds like nobody asked them to be here, and nobody wants them to stay.
The heightened presence of “campus evangelists” begs several concerning questions for anyone attending the COS Visalia campus. Why won’t the school defend its students first? Does the school endorse these kinds of beliefs? How long will we have to put up with this? For Brent Calvin, one student begs, “Is student safety less important than politics?”
