Respectful Debate

THE CINCINATTI INQUIRER, April 16 — The vandalism of a pro-life exhibit has had unexpected consequences at Northern Kentucky University: It has built bridges between pro-life and pro-abortion students. In April 2006, former professor Sally Jacobsen and six students vandalized an exhibit of wooden crosses put up by Northern Right to Life. Jacobsen was disciplined for her actions and there was a public backlash against the vandalism. Last month, the crosses were again on display — this time alongside a garden of metal flowers put up by the Northern Kentucky University Students for Choice.

“I definitely expect it to be peaceful,” said Alex Kindell, president of Students for Choice. “I think we’ll be looking out for each other’s display, protecting our free speech.”

Better than Partying

THE TIMES LEADER (WILKES-BARRE, PENN.), April 24 — Twenty-one students at College Misericordia in Pennsylvania dedicated this year’s spring break to serving the poor. The students traveled to Laredo, Texas, to help impoverished families living in the U.S.-Mexico border town. Mercy Ministries of Laredo hosted the students, who painted several Catholic schools and helped build three Habitat for Humanity homes.

Said College Misericordia student Christine Pierce, “To see that there are families living in the United States that don’t have running water and proper housing really appalled me.”

Virginia Fallout

ASSOCIATED PRESS, April 23 — A five-minute classroom discussion about the Virginia Tech shootings has cost an accounting professor at Boston’s Emmanuel College his job. Adjunct professor Nicholas Winset was fired by the Catholic liberal-arts college after he led the April 18 discussion, during which he reportedly pretended to shoot students with a marker.