The Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) has reached a settlement with medical student Edward Si over a lawsuit filed after the school prohibited him from forming a Students for a National Health Program (SNaHP) club. The medical school will pay Si and SNaHP $38,000. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) represented Si.

In December 2020, Si formed the chapter, but the EVMS Student Government Association denied the application for recognition on the grounds that SGA  did not want to approve clubs “based on opinions” — even though it had provided recognition to Medical Students for Choice. The day after FIRE filed a lawsuit, Si received notification that the club had been approved.

“Now that we’ve reached a settlement,” said Si in a press release, “I hope that future students, faculty, and university administrators will learn the importance of the First Amendment and freedom of expression in discussing and sharing bold, new ideas and being able to constructively critique society to be better.”

Personally, I’m no fan of the national-health idea. Lobbyists would take over, special interests would be protected, costs would soar, and innovation would die. It would be a disaster. But if there’s one thing worse than having a bunch of med students running around advocating such a terrible idea, it’s limiting their right to do just that. There is no idea more terrible than limiting the rights of free speech, free expression, and free inquiry.

— JAB