This article first appeard on Rachel Coyle's Substack

Late last week, The Ohio State University announced its newest policy to prevent students from voicing their political opinions on campus:

They banned the use of sidewalk chalk. Yes, I’m serious.

Starting this year, Ohio State students will be more restricted than toddlers.

Students found using sidewalk chalk — which washes away in a light rain — will be “be subject to potential conduct referral.”

They could also be “charged for the cost of any repairs required due to removal.”

The university even set up an email account so people can snitch on students seen using sidewalk chalk.

This is beyond parody. Students can be punished and charged for the cost of removing chalk from sidewalks? The cost of a bucket of rain water? The cost of turning on a sprinkler?

When did my beloved alma mater become a joke?

If you’ve ever seen the OSU Oval, you know there are hundreds of ways to cross it. It’s massive, and little sidewalks jut out everywhere.

No reasonable argument could be made that students drawing in chalk are somehow blocking passage.

OSU is a public university, and the Oval is a public, community space available to all.

We cannot let this new OSU policy stand. It’s ludicrous and embarrassing.

If you can get to OSU campus anytime in the future, take some children’s sidewalk chalk with you.

Write the words to the First Amendment. Write about free speech and free expression. Let students know in a “banned substance” that their rights are being taken away.

I also highly recommend joining/following the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Ohio State chapter. They are doing incredible work to fight back against attacks on student speech.

Want to do more? Contact the university and threaten to remove your donations or your support.

Let’s show them what Buckeye Nation can do when someone makes a mockery of our school.