Harvard Rescinds Admission for Conservative Teen and Parkland Survivor over Youthful Comments

“Harvard has rescinded their acceptance of conservative activist Kyle Kashuv, a survivor of the 2019 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, to its 2023 undergraduate class,” the Washington Free Beacon reported on Monday.

“The conservative activist, who has used his national platform to defend the Second Amendment and advocate for stronger school safety measures, said he is exploring all options about his next steps” after Harvard’s decision.

Kashuv himself posted to Twitter a thread describing his account of the events on Monday morning and apologizing again for offensive text message comments, including racial slurs, that he had made in years prior, at the age of 16.

Kashuv also detailed how he explained and apologized for these comments again to Harvard’s Office of Diversity.

“Despite this correspondence, Harvard sent Kashuv a letter on June 3 informing him the university had decided to withdraw his acceptance after an admissions committee vote. Kashuv linked to requests to meet with admissions officials for a further explanation of why the decision had been made and whether or not there was anything he could do or exhibit to change the decision. But the university declined all requests.”

Kashuv lamented the institution’s decision and the broader cultural environment in which teenagers’ mistakes may cost them adult opportunities: “In the end, this isn’t about me, it’s about whether we live in a society in which forgiveness is possible or mistakes brand you as irredeemable, as Harvard has decided for me.”