Colorado College: Student Suspended for Two Years for Joke on Social Media
Cases
Colorado College
Case Overview
In November 2015, student Thaddeus Pryor sent an anonymous reply to the comment 鈥#blackwomenmatter鈥 on the social media application Yik Yak. Pryor鈥檚 response, intended as a joke, read, 鈥淭hey matter, they鈥檙e just not hot.鈥 On November 20, Pryor was informed in a letter that he had violated Colorado College鈥檚 鈥淎busive Behavior鈥 and 鈥淒isruption of College Activities鈥 policies with the post. The college suspended Pryor for 21 months, until August 28, 2017, banned him from the campus in the interim, and prohibited him from receiving academic credit for courses taken at other institutions while suspended. Although Colorado College is private, and not legally bound by the First Amendment, it has repeatedly stated its commitment to freedom of expression. On November 25, 2015, FIREsent a letter urging Colorado College to honor its commitments to free expression and reverse Pryor鈥檚 sanctions. Pryor has appealed his punishment.