CV NEWS FEED // A Winthrop University student says the school denied her attempt to start a Students for Life chapter because “there might be too many emotions with this topic,” according to a school official.
Riley Dill, who attends the public university in Rock Hill, South Carolina, shared her experience in a March 28 report.
“I’ve heard many stories about universities denying pro-life or conservative groups, but I never thought I’d be one of those tales,” she wrote.
Dill said she arrived at Winthrop prepared to advocate for the preborn and began organizing a Students for Life group soon after.
“I gathered all the resources necessary to start my Students for Life of America (SFLA) group: a faculty advisor, enough interested students, and everything else Winthrop required,” she wrote.
At her first charter hearing with the Council of Student Leaders, Dill recalled being “nervous but confident.” However, she said the council “immediately bombarded me with questions,” including whether the group was religious, if it would be inclusive, and more. She was also pressed to name her faculty advisor and asked whether she would ensure all information was fact-checked.
“Of course, I said yes,” she wrote, “but that didn’t seem to matter, since they still seemed convinced that I would be giving false information.”
The council did not vote to approve or deny the group but instead “tabled” the application without a clear explanation.
Four days after the hearing, Dill received an email outlining the council’s concerns. According to her, they claimed her mission statement did not exactly match the national SFLA website and raised the concern that she might be “giving medical advice instead of women going to medical professionals.”
She revised her presentation to address the concerns and returned for a second hearing. This time, Dill said, “I debunked everything they wanted me to, to the point where there were no questions after my presentation.”
Minutes later, she was informed that the council had voted to deny the group.
When Dill asked why it had been denied, the dean responded, “Well, they’re all human, and there might be too many emotions with this topic,” according to Dill.
“Enough emotions to override the First Amendment?” Dill wrote. “I don’t think so. Emotions shouldn’t supersede my rights.”
Following the denial, she contacted SFLA, which reviewed her case and offered legal support.
“We have now sent a demand letter to the school, telling them the laws they have broken and asking that they grant my group the same free speech rights as other campus groups,” Dill wrote.
She thanked SFLA staff for their assistance and encouraged other students not to remain silent, saying “This shows that no matter what, we need to stand up for the preborn and educate others now more than ever.”
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