NC State: Reinstate Jae Edwards now!
NCSU Chancellor Kevin Howell; Provost Warwick Arden; Vice-Chancellor and Dean of DASA Doneka Scott
The Party for Socialism and Liberation and the NCSU community demand the immediate reinstatement of Jae Edwards and a clear public commitment from NC State University to defend its workers and students from political intimidation.
Jae Edwards, Assistant Director of the NC State LGBTQ+ Pride Center, was fired after being secretly recorded by a far-right organization. Instead of standing by its employee and protecting queer students, the university caved to reactionary pressure and has refused to provide transparency about how or why this decision was made.
By punishing an employee who was targeted by the far right, NC State sends a dangerous message: intimidation works. This decision puts LGBTQ+ staff and students at greater risk and invites further surveillance and harassment on campus.
Public universities have a responsibility to protect employees from bad-faith political attacks and to ensure that marginalized communities are not sacrificed to appease outside pressure. When institutions fail to do so, they erode trust across campus and weaken the integrity of higher education.
We are calling on NC State to:
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Immediately reinstate Jae Edwards.
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Provide full transparency about the process and rationale behind his termination.
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Commit publicly and unequivocally to protecting staff and students from political harassment, doxxing, and covert surveillance.
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Defend and safeguard support services for marginalized students from external political pressure.
NC State must decide whether it will stand with its community or cave to coordinated political intimidation.
If you believe universities should defend their workers and protect LGBTQ+ students—not reward harassment—add your name.
Petition by
To:
NCSU Chancellor Kevin Howell; Provost Warwick Arden; Vice-Chancellor and Dean of DASA Doneka Scott
From:
[Your Name]
To Kevin Howell, Warwick Arden, Doneka Scott, and NC State University Leadership,
We, the undersigned students, staff, alumni, and community members, write to demand the immediate reinstatement of Jae Edwards and a public commitment from NC State University to defend its workers and students from political intimidation.
Jae Edwards, Assistant Director of the NC State LGBTQ+ Pride Center, was terminated after being secretly recorded by a far-right organization. Rather than standing by its employee and protecting queer students, the university has capitulated to reactionary pressure and has not provided transparency regarding the process or rationale behind this decision.
By disciplining an employee who was targeted by a coordinated political campaign, the university sends a troubling message that intimidation tactics are effective. This decision places LGBTQ+ staff and students at greater risk and invites further harassment and surveillance on campus.
As a public institution, NC State has a responsibility to protect its employees from bad-faith attacks and to ensure that marginalized communities are not sacrificed in response to external political pressure. Failure to do so undermines trust in university leadership and weakens the university’s stated commitments to inclusion, student wellbeing, and academic integrity.
We therefore demand:
1. The immediate reinstatement of Jae Edwards.
2. Full transparency regarding the decision-making process that led to his termination.
3. A sustained and public commitment to protect staff and students from political harassment, doxxing, and covert surveillance.
4. Clear and proactive defense of LGBTQ+ and other marginalized student support services from external political pressure.
We urge you to reverse this decision and demonstrate that fear and coordinated intimidation will not dictate university policy.
We look forward to your response and to meaningful action that restores trust in university leadership.