It was not necessary to identify a victim to express my point of view as I did because. We don't know for sure, but even if the deceased person's friend was a victim, it's not o.k. to assault someone who might be culpable, or even if he had been found culpable. The recipient of the coffee attack, if that's what it was, is the victim. If he is innocent, not only of the coffee attack, but of false public accusations, which everyone knows would not rise to the level of a criminal prosecution, but are bad on campus and should be taken seriously. It seems likely that the young lady took it upon herself to escalate things and be judge and jury. We shouldn't do that.
That's not the same as causing someone's death. Merely being within a chain of events is not causation. Imagine the absurd outcomes that would result if it were.
The incomplete info we have seems to suggest that Meyer knew she was in a lot of trouble. She had worried about it for several months. Her explanation that she had "accidentally" spilled coffee on a person (while riding a bike) who had allegedly assaulted her friend seems desperate. This accident claim would also be inconsistent with earlier claims by her parents that she had been "defending" a friend. To the contrary, it seems that any alleged assault had apparently taken place on a prior occasion and that the coffee incident may have been more of an act of revenge. She knew everything she had worked for and for which her parents were surely so proud was in serious jeopardy.
The poor parents can't understand why their daughter, who probably has been at the top of her class in everything since Kindergarten, would do this. They want to rehabilitate her memory and turn this into a conversation about campus sexual assault and university policies/procedures.
This poor girl just killed herself. Throwing coffee at someone while on a bike seems to reflect some instability in the first place. Who really knows what she had going on inside. The "fault" could be spread out any number of ways: parental expectations, macho athlete culture, genetics, social media, internal pressures, relationship status, whether she had recently consumed alcohol, pain as a result of her recent surgery, general depression, whatever. But the university didn't cause her death.
"A lot of trouble"? GTFOH. Poor poor football player, poor poor absurdly overpaid and overstaffed Standord admins...
And again, this isn't just some rando student only known to her professors and perhaps dorm or housemates. She was, within the campus athletics culture, a fairly high profile person... MULTIPLE people are culpable for their neglect and disinterest in her welfare, despite their insipid public posturing otherwise.
That's not the same as causing someone's death. Merely being within a chain of events is not causation. Imagine the absurd outcomes that would result if it were.
The incomplete info we have seems to suggest that Meyer knew she was in a lot of trouble. She had worried about it for several months. Her explanation that she had "accidentally" spilled coffee on a person (while riding a bike) who had allegedly assaulted her friend seems desperate. This accident claim would also be inconsistent with earlier claims by her parents that she had been "defending" a friend. To the contrary, it seems that any alleged assault had apparently taken place on a prior occasion and that the coffee incident may have been more of an act of revenge. She knew everything she had worked for and for which her parents were surely so proud was in serious jeopardy.
The poor parents can't understand why their daughter, who probably has been at the top of her class in everything since Kindergarten, would do this. They want to rehabilitate her memory and turn this into a conversation about campus sexual assault and university policies/procedures.
This poor girl just killed herself. Throwing coffee at someone while on a bike seems to reflect some instability in the first place. Who really knows what she had going on inside. The "fault" could be spread out any number of ways: parental expectations, macho athlete culture, genetics, social media, internal pressures, relationship status, whether she had recently consumed alcohol, pain as a result of her recent surgery, general depression, whatever. But the university didn't cause her death.
"A lot of trouble"? GTFOH. Poor poor football player, poor poor absurdly overpaid and overstaffed Standord admins...
And again, this isn't just some rando student only known to her professors and perhaps dorm or housemates. She was, within the campus athletics culture, a fairly high profile person... MULTIPLE people are culpable for their neglect and disinterest in her welfare, despite their insipid public posturing otherwise.
"A lot of trouble"? GTFOH. Poor poor football player, poor poor absurdly overpaid and overstaffed Standord admins...
Yeah, a lot of trouble at school. She seemed to think so.
I guess you think the University should not investigate allegations of assault against football players? If she did nothing wrong, why didn't she just get a lawyer? It seems like her parents are so equipped.
Why is the university even involved in such a petty incident? Was it scalding coffee?
You don’t get a free pass to assault someone because they’re a terrible person. It’s as simple as that.
If she put another student in harms way, discipline should follow. If the university gave her time and resources to handle the disciplinary process, this is an open and shut case. Nothing else really matters.
I hope the family finds peace and are supported by the community regardless.
Why is the university even involved in such a petty incident? Was it scalding coffee?
Because a pampered FOOTBALL PLAYER ran to the admins, and couldn't handle his business with GIRLS... I feel so badly for him, it must have been "traumatic" to have assaulted or even groped a soccer lady, been rejected and than had her friend(s) take umbrage at his actions.
But yeah, football makes the $$ so the typically misogynistic (when a woman gets "out of line"), phony "liberals" her take the establishment (football), authoritarian (administration) side.
Stanford football doesn't make big money and isn't a big deal on campus. The university doesn't need the money. It's not Alabama. I doubt most faculty and administrators give a damn about it.
Did anyone take the football player's side? Wasn't there just going to be a hearing to hash this all out?
Also, few if any here know what the player even did. All we know is that she was extremely worried about the outcome. She was no doubt an intelligent person and planned to attend law school. You'd think if she did nothing wrong and was heroically defending a victim of sexual assault she'd be anxious to take the allegations on.
This is how you disagree with a point in a civil and respectful way. Sadly, too many LRCers lack common sense and empathy while also thinking their own college experience is equivalent (e.g., having to pull up low grades) is equivalent to what happened to this young woman.
And your post is an example of how not to disagree with someone. If you disagree with something I wrote, then 1) address me directly and 2) make sure you’re accurate in your criticism. You’ve done neither.
I never said my experience was equivalent to Meyer’s. Obviously they’re not equivalent. One is an academic situation and the other is a conduct situation. But they have enough similarities that are noteworthy.
Re: common sense, I think most people would agree that people should be held responsible for their own actions.
Re: empathy, that goes in multiple directions. Where is your empathy for the university officials who now have to deal with a public lawsuit over a tragedy that wasn’t their fault?
I bet all these people defending Standford have broken up via email with their Ex's.
Was it illegal: probably not... Was it passive aggressive, immature to send that email: absolutely!
It is fair to hold one of the top 5 universities in the world to a high standard of communication even if the law doesn't.
I don't think it is fair to hold a customer of a business (student of a private university) to the same standard of maturity as the idiots who thinks email is how to handle this.
Oh I don't know. How about just not blindsiding a student with a disciplinary notice threatening serious punishment without reaching out to them first and speaking to them directly. Its not rocket science.
My god this generation is a bunch of whiny, pathological victims. Seriously pathetic.
If someone kills themselves after their partner breaks up with them, does the family get to sue the partner? Meyer's actions were her responsibility and hers alone, and receiving notice of her being expelled (whether justified or not) does not make her actions the school's fault.
I bet all these people defending Standford have broken up via email with their Ex's.
Was it illegal: probably not... Was it passive aggressive, immature to send that email: absolutely!
It is fair to hold one of the top 5 universities in the world to a high standard of communication even if the law doesn't.
I don't think it is fair to hold a customer of a business (student of a private university) to the same standard of maturity as the idiots who thinks email is how to handle this.
The reason schools don't communicate by phone over this type of stuff is because Meyer could simply not choose to answer the phone. Duh. If the notice was sent over email she couldn't possibly say she didn't receive the email.
Oh I don't know. How about just not blindsiding a student with a disciplinary notice threatening serious punishment without reaching out to them first and speaking to them directly. Its not rocket science.
You would have a really tough time using a dead person's state of mind as evidence. Unless you knew 100% that the young lady had no current or previous mental health issues it would be foolish to go down that road in defense. And even if there was no history I wouldn't go there.
From CNN, the lawsuit claims she had no history of mental health issues. Sorry but I find this hard to believe. Her parents might not have known or might have missed things. (The second guessing I would be doing would be off the charts). But when people kill themselves it often comes out how they struggled. The mental health of college students has gotten progressively worse over the last couple of decades (or more college students are reporting issues) and there have been numerous college athletes who have been very open about their struggles (pro athletes as well).
So we have to get all the way to #1 to get to this situation.
Based on what has been put out publicly this lawsuit seems to be bs. Stanford will probably settle.
As to the school getting involved in the coffee throwing incident, I can't find out the full story on this but if a complaint was filed it has to be investigated by the school.