The student government at Fort Lewis College in Durango made national news the other day when it voted to block a conservative group from organizing a campus chapter. Then, just last Friday, the Associated Students of Fort Lewis College reversed itself and voted unanimously to let Turning Point USA set up shop after all.

“It was strange,” chapter organizer Jonah Flynn, a Fort Lewis senior, told Fox News over the weekend. “They put us in a tiny room, with at least 100 people being forced to wait outside. Tons of local conservatives, students and community members. Inside the meeting, we got to speak briefly, and they immediately voted and unanimously approved it.” 

The one-eighty was fast if inevitable. Given the drama preceding the original vote to bar Turning Point — an hours-long public hearing; sobbing campus activists; denunciations of “hateful” remarks by the group’s slain co-founder, Charlie Kirk — you might expect a bit more grandstanding before the elected student leaders caved.

But in all likelihood, Fort Lewis’ administration wasn’t about to let it all erupt into another one of those ritual face-offs over the First Amendment on a college campus. Fodder for more podcasts and podium-pounding political speeches. So, we can assume it put its foot down. 

You can imagine the trip to the woodshed: Sorry, but you can’t do that; it’d be a slam-dunk for them in court. You know, the First Amendment, free speech? Yes, even if it’s hurtful.

After all, academia doesn’t need yet another black eye of that magnitude.

As it was, the development already had stirred too much attention. As The Gazette reported last week, the student government’s initial rejection drew fire from Republican state lawmakers.

In a letter sent to the college’s president, Heather Shotton, Colorado House Republicans urged her to reconsider the student board’s decision.

“Denying students equal access to campus resources based on their viewpoint contradicts the values outlined in your college’s mission,” the letter stated. “Your commitment to intellectual diversity, inclusive dialogue, and critical thinking should apply to all perspectives, not just the ones that are popular.”

The lawmakers added, “We urge you to lead with fairness and principle, and ensure Fort Lewis College remains a place where all students are free to speak, organize, and engage in civil dialogue.”

That’s as good a summary statement as any on the double-standard that has been applied to so much expression on American campuses in recent years. Visiting speakers and lecturers, faculty members and students have been hounded out of the classroom and banished from the quad at all too many colleges and universities if they dared lean right on any issue. 

Fort Lewis’ administrators probably didn’t need the extra nudge from Republicans, though. They’ve seen the drama play out too often and know where it leads. Especially since a new presidential administration in January decided to push back at higher ed’s leftward tilt.

An open-and-shut case of trampling political speech isn’t worth wasting a dime defending in court.

A hat tip to Fort Lewis’ leadership for grasping that reality so quickly. Let’s hope other Colorado campuses embrace it, as well. 

Then, all of higher ed can get back to exercising, and celebrating, real free speech.