West Hollywood
West Hollywood, FL · Education
Miami Herald
Racist group chats sparked fear at FIU. Now a judge signals who may win lawsuit
A federal judge in Miami signaled Thursday that she is strongly inclined to rule in favor of Florida International University in a First Amendment lawsuit brought by four students suspended or expelled over racist, antisemitic and violent messages exchanged in private group chats. Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga, speaking after two days of testimony, said the university had presented strong evidence that the messages frightened students, disrupted campus operations and interfered with its educational mission, regardless of whether the students intended their remarks as jokes. “I’m strongly inclined to deny your motion for preliminary injunction and enter a judgment on the merits for the defendant,” Altonaga told the attorneys and students. “Strongly inclined to do so.” The judge emphasized that she has not reached a final decision and would give the students’ lawyers another opportunity to persuade her through additional arguments. But she delivered a direct warning about their prospects. “It does not look good for you gentlemen over there,” Altonaga said, addressing the students. Her remarks followed extensive testimony from Dr. Emmanuele Bowles, a senior FIU administrator, who described students afraid to attend classes, complaints from parents and faculty members, increased campus police patrols and weeks of university
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miamitimesonline.com
MaxPreps
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Miami's Community News
Columbus Makes History as First Florida High School Approved for Its Own Specialty License Plate
Christopher Columbus High School, a Catholic, Marist, college-preparatory school for boys in Miami, is making history as the first high school in Florida approved for a specialty license plate. Now, the school is calling on Explorer Nation—its community of alumni, families, students, faculty, staff and friends—to purchase the 3,000 presale vouchers required to begin production. […] The post Columbus Makes History as First Florida High School Approved for Its Own Specialty License Plate appeared first on Miami’s Community News .
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gotowncrier.com
Likely Boundary Plan Puts All Westlake Students At New Elementary School
Present and future pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade students living within the entire City of Westlake likely will be attending the three-story, 96,000-square-foot elementary school going up at the intersection of Persimmon Blvd. and Green Lane. The School District of Palm Beach County’s Advisory Boundary Committee voted 10-0 on Thursday, Oct. 22...
Miami Herald
FIU students defend racist, violent group chats as jokes in federal trial
A Florida International University student expelled over racist and violent messages exchanged in private group chats testified Wednesday that even comments about beheading Black people were intended as humor, insisting that the university misunderstood deliberately shocking jokes when it punished students for their participation. “In this context, yes,” Dariel Gonzalez answered when questioned about whether a message advocating the beheading of someone because of their race was funny. Gonzalez, one of four students suing FIU over disciplinary sanctions they contend violated their First Amendment rights, acknowledged that the language could appear horrifying when viewed in isolation but argued that members of the private chats understood it as provocative humor. “If you just see this by itself, then yeah, it looks horrible,” Gonzalez said. “But if you see it within the context, it’s perfectly fine.” The testimony came during the first day of a two-day federal trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga in Miami, where four students are challenging suspensions and expulsions the university imposed after racist, antisemitic and violent messages from their private conversations became public. The case pits the students’ claims of constitutionally protected private speech against FIU’s position that the messages contained threats and caused fear
Miami Herald
Tallest dorm in state will rise 17 stories, become FIU campus ‘crown jewel'
Florida International University is building what will become the tallest on-campus residence hall in Florida’s State University System, a 17-story tower that one university official calls the “crown jewel of campus.” The dorm and four other construction projects underway at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus in West Miami-Dade — a new medical center, a worship center, a residential food hall and a museum called CasaCuba — are part of FIU’s ambitious plan to become a top 30 public university by 2030 while offering more space for students, faculty and researchers. The centerpiece is the new $248 million residence hall, which will pay homage to the university’s early history when it opens in fall 2028. Here’s what to know about the new tower: Memories of the mascot Sunblazer Hall will carry FIU’s original school nickname. The mascot was a fuzzy yellow monster with a tough guy attitude, topped with a sun-like head. FIU first opened to students in 1972, but the character, called Son of a Blazer, was not introduced until 1985 as the university launched its first athletic teams. FIU retired the Sunblazers nickname and mascot in 1987, paving way for the Golden Panthers and a mascot later known as
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WSVN-TV
Federal judge hears argument from FIU students involved in alleged racist group chat who say their First Amendment rights were violated
MIAMI (WSVN) - Four Florida International University students argued in court that the university violated their First Amendment rights after an alleged racist group chat was leaked and resulted in their suspension or expulsion. The two-day court hearing took place in a federal courtroom in Miami. The legal battles pit...