Education

University President Under Fire For Ordering Library To Remove Lady Gaga Quote

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Neetu Arnold Contributor
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A university president in Arkansas is under fire for ordering a campus library to remove a Lady Gaga quote supporting gay people.

“Being gay is like glitter. It never goes away,” marked a library sign at the University of Central Arkansas, Inside Higher Ed reported Thursday. The sign was up for a day until Houston Davis, the university president, asked for it to be taken down.

Davis said in a Tuesday email that the sign crossed a line by reportedly supporting a personal statement. He also believed the sign was not appropriate for the summer as many children would be on campus, according to Inside Higher Ed.

“Unlike our student groups or other organizations, the library is an official arm of UCA and when it ‘speaks’ on that sign which serves information regarding library hours, it speaks officially,” Davis wrote. “We do have to be very careful that we walk the fine line between individual freedom of speech and institutional voice.”

Davis responded to criticisms, phone calls and emails regarding the decision in a statement Wednesday. (RELATED: More Than 400 Students Have To Retake The ACT After School Loses Tests)

“I understand that the removal of this quote has caused fury and sadness across campus,” Davis said. “My observation that the library sign is a university platform and should be reviewed as such has morphed into a debate about UCA’s values and commitment to diversity. I am very sorry that this has been the outcome and that anyone has felt unwelcome or silenced.”

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