Students at Columbia Law School are incensed that some of their classmates met with Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh, the latest example of American law school students trying to suppress conservative ideas and speakers.
Students from the New York City law school's Federalist Society chapter on Feb. 23 traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Kavanaugh. A photo posted to the school's Instagram shows students with the justice, who discussed "the human side of being a justice" and "how to be an effective advocate," according to the post. Students melted down in the comments, demanding that Columbia "do better" and calling the meeting "incredibly humiliating."
The episode is further evidence of law school campuses veering left and away from free speech. Earlier this month, Stanford University law students and the school's diversity dean shouted down Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals judge Kyle Duncan. Students later protested the school's apology for Duncan's botched speech.
Columbia students and alumni had a similar reaction to the Instagram post. "As an alumnus, this is shameful and unnecessary on so many levels," one commenter wrote.
Several posters noted the photo went up during Women's History Month. "Why is this still up??? I'm embarrassed to be associated with you," another user said.
Student groups, including the Black Law Students Association of Columbia and the abortion rights organization If/When/How, wrote letters demanding the post be taken down, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Black Law Students Association said it won't support Columbia's efforts to recruit black students because "the Columbia Law School administration may be comfortable wallowing in 'apoliticism' and neutrality, but we are not."
Law schools are following the direction of undergrad universities, which have frequently seen violence and chaos during conservative events and speeches. Students at George Mason University this week protested the school's choice of Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin (R.) for commencement speaker, pointing to his conservative policies.