Dear Editor,
I work at a law firm in Washington, D.C., and many of my co-workers know that I graduated from BYU. Today one of them asked me, “Why did they kick that girl from the ‘Real World’ out of your school?”
It was a question that I was very uncomfortable answering, given that I disagree with the university’s decision. I know I am not the only member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints struggling to answer the same question today.
BYU proclaims: “The world is our campus.” Many of us who graduated from BYU have gone out into that world and tried to be good examples for the people with whom we associate. The school, and the Honor Code Office in particular, need to realize their decision to suspend Julie Stoffer has set back the work of people like myself many years. The next time the school has the opportunity to admit a student who has stood up repeatedly for her values on national television, it should think twice before denying her request to return.
No, the school should not make decisions based solely upon their public relations value, but if the school expects us to “go forth to serve,” it must do its part to not encourage the negative stereotypes that myself and others have spent years trying to dispel.
Justin C. Jones
Arlington, Va.
