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Activists to Harvard: Give Degrees to Expelled Gays

Group wants students expelled by 'secret court' in 1920 recognized

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 28, 2012 1:15 PM CST

(Newser) – In 1920, seven students were expelled from Harvard University because they were gay or thought to be gay—and now a group of students and faculty wants the school to award the seven with posthumous degrees. The group also wants Harvard to formally abolish its "secret court," the group of administrators who investigated possibly homosexual students in 1920, which only became public in 2002 when a student reporter discovered the "court" and its expulsion of the seven students.

A rally will be held tomorrow when Lady Gaga visits the campus to launch her Born This Way anti-bullying foundation, the AP reports. "Given the Born This Way Foundation's commitment to this mission and their choice to launch their foundation at Harvard, we felt like this was an opportunity to ask for their support and would hope they would join us in asking Harvard to do the right thing here and help seek justice for these students," says one visiting faculty member. Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra, and Kathleen Sebelius are expected to join Gaga on campus.

Baker Library at Harvard University School of Business.
Baker Library at Harvard University School of Business.   (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
shaboom
Feb 29, 2012 7:58 PM CST
Harvard will need another hundred years to pull their heads out of their asses. You don't want to rush these things.
brucke
Feb 29, 2012 2:36 PM CST
1920? The students are dead. It does not matter to them if they are given posthumous degrees. This is a project for people with too much time on their hands. 
meanbill
Feb 28, 2012 4:58 PM CST
Harvard has reversed that policy in the 60s, you would be surprised at how many Gays and Lesbians go and receive Degrees from Harvard. -- They welcome Gays and Lesbians, and in fact encourage them to attend Harvard, -- Ask all they're students who will tell you, they believe all the other Harvard students are Gay or Lesbians, and they hardly know any straights. ---- Yea, Harvard welcomes Gays.
 

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