Racist social media posts have reportedly gotten a student expelled from Purdue University. The immediate expulsion of undergraduate student Maxwell Lawrence was announced by Purdue President Mitch Daniels Tuesday.
The statement says Daniels determined that Lawrence’s posts were not only “racist and despicable,” but they also posed a public safety risk, since they appeared to be intended to incite others. The Purdue Exponent reports that Lawrence posted a TikTok video where he pretended to run over protesters and also posted racist comments, likes and imagery in an Instagram group chat.
Purdue’s statement notes that some university officials felt the posts were protected speech under the First Amendment and school policy. However, the Purdue University Catalog allows the president or some other school officials to impose summary action if a “student’s continued presence poses a threat.”
Daniels added that Lawrence’s conduct was “completely and utterly unacceptable by a member of the Purdue community.”
