This letter depicts my deep concern regarding the continued denial of free speech by the Norwin School District. The recent unilateral decision by the administration, sustained by the “no” vote of school board President Matt Thomas, has once again denied our students the opportunity to hear a nationally popular presentation by a highly qualified Black man, Stephen Davis, on leadership (“Conservative Norwin board members lament cancellation of Turning Point USA speech,” Oct. 24, TribLive).
It’s reminiscent of three prior occasions when free speech was denied to Venezuelan legal immigrant Daniel DiMartino. It is sad to see that freedom of speech is dead at Norwin.
Norwin’s excuse of fear of violence is absurd. The setting at the University of California Davis (when Davis spoke in 2022) in front of an audience of free-roaming adult activists was in no way similar to our school district.
Director Shawna Ilagan made the correct argument that the security of our locked buildings provides a secure and safe setting for the presentation. The only thing that is in danger is the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech has nothing to do with eloquence and everything to do with substance. It guarantees the listener and speaker the right to share even the most reprehensible of ideas. Not just the speech that makes us feel good but the speech that we do not want to hear and especially speech that challenges us to reflect and think.
Our students deserve much better.
Shame on you, Matt Thomas and directors Ray Kocak, Tim Kotch and William Bojalad.
Rich Walczak
North Huntingdon
The writer is a committeeman for Westmoreland County Republican Committee’s District 3.