Thread by @DavidLat

1/ THREAD. There is now a push to get Trent Colbert, the Yale Law School student who sent the “trap-house email,” removed as a 2L student representative.

Here’s the form letter the students who want him removed are circulating for signature.

2/ This is a terrible idea. I think it’s unfair to Trent Colbert, who I believe is the victim here.

But even if you disagree, this will just increase the ability of @fedsoc & @TheFIREorg to claim free-speech martyrdom. See @mjs_DC:

bit.ly/3DDXFSK

3/ Ousting Trent Colbert will just pour more gasoline on the fire.

The YLS email controversy has already made Slate and the @washingtonpost. This latest development could get it into a few more papers (maybe @nytimes).

wapo.st/3aIeu2c

4/ Some folks who disagree with me have said, “How was Trent Colbert ‘canceled’? Two YLS administrators just had a few nice conversations with him, trying to help him.”

5/ Getting Trent Colbert ousted from his position as a Yale Law School student rep position sounds a lot more like cancellation.

Look, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying losing this post will ruin his life. But it’s not a good thing.

bit.ly/3DKcWl4

6/ I will add this, for consistency: Yale Law School administrators should also not get involved in this attempt to get Trent Colbert removed as a student rep (even if it might generate more negative publicity for YLS).

7/ As noted above, I think removing Trent Colbert as a student representative is not a good idea (to put it mildly).

But assuming it's consistent with the governing docs (I haven't checked), the Yale law students have the right to do this if they want.

8/ Personally I think ousting Trent Colbert a mistake.

But if it is a mistake, maybe it's a mistake the students can learn from.

9/ With Halloween upon us, reread the email from @ErikaChristakis & @NAChristakis about offensive costumes. (Yep, that was also @Yale.)

Administrators need to let students make mistakes—and learn from them.

bit.ly/3viDU08 (via @TheFIREorg)

10/ An addendum (from a Yale Law source who has reviewed the governing documents): the student representatives must vote to remove a rep.

It's not a vote of the whole student body/2L class.

Nor does the YLS administration have anything to do with it.

11/ Michael @Smerconish just interviewed Trent Colbert, the YLS student who sent the trap-house email, on @CNN.

Here's the clip. The first few minutes are background; if you're caught up, skip ahead to 3:23, when Trent appears.

cnn.it/3ASkAHT