Transgender Student Not Permitted to Speak in Class
By: Bobbi Smith
Updated: May 4, 2012
A canceled student lecture causing some controversy at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. The reason? The student is transgender.
Jennifer Braly is a transgender student at the school and has been speaking to students about gender identity disorder for the past two semesters.
But Braly says the school canceled her most recent lecture, at the last minute, with no reason.
'If they wanted to say no to this lecture they had three months. Not wait till the day before the lecture to cancel," Braly told us.
Dr. Laura King, the teacher who asked Jennifer to come speak to her class, believes a student complaint led to the lecture being canceled. "I don't know what complaints would justify her not speaking if there had been complaints."
Dr. King says Jennifer came highly recommended by at least five other teachers so she went to her boss for an explanation.
'I did go in Dr. Rinnes office and he told me that Jennifer Braly was not to be allowed to speak. That it was the policy of the university for reason that he couldn't discuss.'
When we contacted the University for a comment and asked about the policy, they directed us to a statement on their website saying:
"while there were miscommunications, the cancellation of the class and postponement of the students speech had absolutely nothing to do with the subject matter or the students status."
Despite the lecture being cancelled, nearly sixty students followed Jennifer to the campus center lounge and listened to her speak.
'The students who wanted to hear the lecture were upset that they were not able to hear the lecture in a proper class room setting.'
Jennifer says now the university is making her use an approved survey in order to continue speaking. The survey will check the need for more information on gender identity and get student feedback on the lecture.
"Basically its just a way of keeping me from being able to speak," according to Jennifer.
But that she will continue to do what she can.
"I'm going to stand up for equal rights of transgender people and people with gender identity disorder and also those who want to learn and have the right to seek that education."
Class room setting or not, Jennifer says she will go on with her lectures and hopes to educate those who are interested in learning more about gender identity disorder.
Image courtesy of Jennifer Braly Facebook page.
Jennifer Braly is a transgender student at the school and has been speaking to students about gender identity disorder for the past two semesters.
But Braly says the school canceled her most recent lecture, at the last minute, with no reason.
'If they wanted to say no to this lecture they had three months. Not wait till the day before the lecture to cancel," Braly told us.
Dr. Laura King, the teacher who asked Jennifer to come speak to her class, believes a student complaint led to the lecture being canceled. "I don't know what complaints would justify her not speaking if there had been complaints."
Dr. King says Jennifer came highly recommended by at least five other teachers so she went to her boss for an explanation.
'I did go in Dr. Rinnes office and he told me that Jennifer Braly was not to be allowed to speak. That it was the policy of the university for reason that he couldn't discuss.'
When we contacted the University for a comment and asked about the policy, they directed us to a statement on their website saying:
"while there were miscommunications, the cancellation of the class and postponement of the students speech had absolutely nothing to do with the subject matter or the students status."
Despite the lecture being cancelled, nearly sixty students followed Jennifer to the campus center lounge and listened to her speak.
'The students who wanted to hear the lecture were upset that they were not able to hear the lecture in a proper class room setting.'
Jennifer says now the university is making her use an approved survey in order to continue speaking. The survey will check the need for more information on gender identity and get student feedback on the lecture.
"Basically its just a way of keeping me from being able to speak," according to Jennifer.
But that she will continue to do what she can.
"I'm going to stand up for equal rights of transgender people and people with gender identity disorder and also those who want to learn and have the right to seek that education."
Class room setting or not, Jennifer says she will go on with her lectures and hopes to educate those who are interested in learning more about gender identity disorder.
Image courtesy of Jennifer Braly Facebook page.
