In the immediate, raw aftermath of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s tragic passing, a student leader at Oklahoma State University sought to honor his memory and promote peace, sparking a controversy that has ignited a debate about free speech on campus.
Joshua Wilson, a junior serving as the University Chair of OSU’s Student Government Association (SGA), delivered a brief speech during an SGA meeting on September 10th. This was mere hours after Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, lost his life in a fatal shooting incident in Utah.
Wilson stated his intention was to pay tribute to Kirk’s legacy while simultaneously condemning political violence and advocating for the importance of free speech and open dialogue on campus. During his remarks, Wilson wore a Turning Point USA hat that Kirk himself had given him during a visit to the OSU campus the previous April. The hat notably displayed the number “47,” a reference widely understood to signify support for President Donald Trump.
Wilson, who is also active as the vice chair of the College Republicans and president of the Debate Club, reported that his speech was initially well-received by his fellow students. He mentioned receiving applause following his remarks and messages of appreciation afterward.
However, the positive reception among his peers did not extend to the university administration, according to Wilson. The following week, he was called into a meeting with his faculty adviser, Melisa Echols. During this meeting, Wilson alleges Echols reprimanded him for wearing the hat.
She reportedly told him that the hat violated the student government’s nonpartisan rules and, more pointedly, that its symbolism could be distressing or “triggering” to some individuals on campus. Wilson recorded part of the conversation, which was later shared by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA).
In the audio, Echols is heard saying, “As a person who doesn’t look like you and has not had the same lived experience as you, I have family who don’t look like you who are triggered — and I will be very candid with you — who are triggered by those hats and by that side.”
Wilson explained to Echols that he did not believe the hat was inherently harmful or strictly partisan in the context of his speech, which focused on Kirk’s advocacy for campus dialogue rather than specific political endorsements. He felt the message was about unity and free expression, not division.
According to Wilson’s account, Echols rejected his explanation. He claims she told him he needed to acknowledge her grievances regarding the hat and its impact, allegedly adding, “otherwise this year is going to be difficult for you.”
Wilson interpreted this statement as a direct, albeit veiled, threat to his position or academic standing. “I viewed it as a veiled threat,” he told Fox News Digital. He described a noticeable shift in Echols’s demeanor during the meeting, from initially kind to “very short and angry toward the end,” reinforcing his concern about the implications of her final statement.
As the incident gained media attention, Oklahoma State University Vice President of Student Affairs, Brent Marsh, released a statement strongly reaffirming the institution’s commitment to free expression. Marsh emphasized that OSU’s position “is unchanged and crystal clear: All OSU students have the right to speak their minds on all of our campuses.”
He specifically addressed the role of the Student Government Association, stating it “is a democratically elected body where students represent their peers, share their ideas, debate proposals and work toward solutions. That process only works when every voice can be heard without fear or restriction. Protecting free expression is fundamental to who we are as a university.”
Marsh later added that “all staff charged with supporting student groups have received direct clarification about our policies and our unwavering commitment to free speech and our expectation that every student can fully express themselves.” He also encouraged any student who feels their rights have been infringed upon to report their concerns directly to university leadership.
Despite the university’s official stance, Wilson feels the response has been insufficient. He believes OSU administrators hope the controversy will simply fade away. He is calling for a more definitive statement condemning the interaction he experienced and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“I think OSU needs to make a statement at least saying, ‘Hey, this isn’t going to happen again, and we’re going to make sure it doesn’t happen again,’ whether it’s through reforming our code of conduct or investigations to make sure students don’t feel threatened by faculty regarding their freedom of speech,” Wilson stated.
He shared that he has received significant support online and even from state legislators since the story broke. Furthermore, he noted that the incident seems to have paradoxically emboldened some conservative students on campus, who have become more visible in setting up informational tables and engaging in political discussions.
Wilson maintains that the initial attempt to caution or intimidate him has had the opposite effect. “It seems like the entire thing was meant to make me be very scared or kind of shut down from expressing these views,” he reflected, “but in fact it’s done quite the opposite.”
The incident highlights the ongoing tensions on university campuses nationwide regarding the boundaries of free speech, political expression, and institutional neutrality.
