Fox News Digital's Campus Radicals series chronicles a wave of politically charged disputes in K–12 and higher education, led by two Washington high school athletes contesting a state transgender-athlete policy. The coverage details incidents at the University of Oklahoma, Vanguard University, Rutgers, Augsburg University and Columbia University, involving academic grading disputes, protest policies, alleged campus intervention in an ICE arrest, and reports of harassment tied to the Gaza war. The series highlights tensions over privacy, free speech, and campus policies.
Campus Radicals: Students Push Back — Girls Demand Locker-Room Privacy as Campus Conflicts Escalate
Campus Radicals: Their childhoods disrupted by politics, courageous girls are fighting back
Fox News Digital's Campus Radicals series this week highlights a string of politically charged incidents in K–12 and higher education, centering on two Washington high school athletes who are publicly challenging their state's transgender-athlete policy.
A teenage girl swimming butterfly in an outdoor swim meet.
High School Students Speak Out
Sadie Sullivan, a swimmer at Wenatchee High School, told a rally that girls should not have to feel unsafe or uncomfortable in locker rooms. "Girls should never have to feel uncomfortable in their own locker room," Sullivan said, urging lawmakers to revise state rules so girls do not have to share private spaces with boys and to prevent boys from competing on girls' teams. "Girls should never be pressured by adults to undress around boys. And girls should never have to sacrifice their safety for somebody else's comfort," she added.
The Anchorage School District in Alaska admitted it mistakenly added a disclaimer distancing itself from "the viewpoints expressed" on a flyer that only contained the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
At Eastmont High School, track athlete Ahnaleigh Wilson criticized Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson and State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, saying their support for transgender athletes has overlooked the concerns of biological girls. "You have stood up for transgender athletes, but you have not stood up for us. We matter too," Wilson said. She emphasized that when officials say "all" students, that should include biological girls' safety and privacy.
Sadie Burnett, right, chapter president of Turning Point USA at Vanguard University, holds a Charlie Kirk sign on an unknown date.
Campus Incidents Across the Country
University of Oklahoma: Student Samantha Fulnecky received a zero on an essay in which she cited the Bible to oppose non-binary gender concepts. The teaching assistant who graded the essay, William "Mel" Curth, was placed on administrative leave amid the viral controversy. Assistant professor Kelli Alvarez, who promoted demonstrations supporting Curth and offered excused absences to students attending those protests, was also placed on leave after a discrimination complaint. OU later acknowledged concerns about apparent viewpoint discrimination and reminded faculty that classrooms should teach students how to think, not what to think.
Illegal immigrant Jesus Saucedo-Portillo is a sex offender with a prior conviction for driving while intoxicated, DHS said. He was arrested at Augsburg College.
Vanguard University (CA): A Turning Point USA chapter founded in 2023 lost official campus recognition after university policy barring "political advocacy initiatives" was enforced. The school now requires political activities to be coordinated with administration. Sadie Burnett, the chapter's president, criticized the policy as silencing Christian political expression.
Anti-Israel protesters set up an encampment at Columbia University.
Rutgers University: Professor Mark Bray, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook and sometimes labeled in media as "Dr. Antifa," is scheduled to teach a spring seminar titled "Communism." Bray left the U.S. for Spain following a campus controversy involving a Turning Point USA petition to have him removed. Passages in his book stating that a portion of proceeds would go to an international anti-fascist fund sparked criticism and accusations that he financially supported Antifa.
Augsburg University (Minneapolis): Administrators and students reportedly attempted to block an ICE arrest on campus of Jesus Saucedo-Portillo, an undocumented student who, according to reporting, is a registered sex offender with a prior DUI conviction. Campus officials told federal agents the arrest violated campus policy; the Department of Homeland Security reminded the university that federal law supersedes campus rules. Augsburg's president defended staff and students involved in the episode.
Columbia University: An internal review found that Jewish students faced harassment from some pro-Palestinian peers during the Gaza war. The task force reported incidents of verbal abuse and instances in which Israeli students were singled out in class. The report also cited allegations that a faculty member made disparaging remarks about major Jewish donors and used dismissive language about Israel.
Anchorage School District: The district renamed Veterans Day on its official school calendar as a "student release professional development day," prompting public criticism from Republican gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson. The district also previously drew scrutiny for placing disclaimers on the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence that stated the district "does not endorse" the viewpoints in those founding documents.
What This Series Shows
The Campus Radicals series documents how national debates over gender, free speech, immigration enforcement and the Israel–Gaza conflict are playing out in classrooms, athletic fields, administrative offices and on campus grounds — often leaving students, parents and faculty at odds over policy, privacy and protest.
Reporting credits: Andrew Mark Miller, Preston Mizell and Madison Colombo contributed to the reporting for this series.
