A couple months ago, University of Central Florida student Webster Cook was impeached from his position as Student Government Association senator for “stealing” a consecrated communion wafer.
It was an idiotic decision by the student government since no crime was committed. Not even a symbolic crime. (If “wafer abuse” is cause for this much chaos, we’re heading down a very slippery slope.)
Now, Greg Laden points out that decision has been (correctly) reversed:
There was a five hour long trial last night in front of the SGA Judiciary. Cook outlined the numerous due process violations that he had documented in relation to the impeachment. The SGA Judiciary (Remember, this is a school government organization) ruled that Cook should have a new trial.
That still means that had the due process violations not occurred, Webster would still be impeached. But I suppose it’s a small victory.
The news from the school paper indicates the appeal was for a seemingly minor reason:
The UCF Student Judicial Council voted on Wednesday evening that Webster Cook’s impeachment hearing did not have proper due process and remanded the case back to the student Senate.
The vote on the charge of violation was 8-0-0 in favor of violation and a 7-1-0 vote to return the case back to the Senate.
Cook was impeached from the 40th Student Senate in August on the charge of misfeasance and appealed the decision on the basis that SGA officials did not publicly post notice of interviews with witnesses pertaining to the June 29 incident.
In any case, it’s good to know Webster may be able to return to his old post.
The whole “scandal” is based off of someone not taking an already ridiculous ritual seriously. The student leaders ought to come to their senses and just put an end to this whole sideshow.
