A student at Oklahoma State University was reportedly reprimanded by a university official for paying tribute to Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk during a student government meeting. The tribute occurred the day after Kirk was assassinated. The official objected to the student’s “45→47” hat, a reference to President Trump, calling it potentially “triggering” to others. The incident has sparked fresh concerns over political expression and free speech on campus.
Josh Wilson, a member of OSU’s student government and debate society, gave brief remarks commemorating Kirk. He described Kirk as “a father, a husband, a devout Christian, and a shining light,” and recalled his earlier visit to the campus. During the tribute, Wilson wore a “45→47” hat, which had been a personal gift from Kirk.
Following the meeting, Melisa Echols, OSU’s coordinator of student-government programs, allegedly approached Wilson and warned him that the hat violated a rule against partisanship in student government meetings. Echols reportedly told Wilson, “As a person who doesn’t look like you and has not had the same lived experience … I have family who … are triggered by those hats.” She cited an unwritten tradition of nonpartisanship but admitted there was no formal policy in writing.
According to a report by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, OSU later confirmed there is no written rule banning partisan expression in student government. No such rule has ever been enforced before. The school’s ambiguous stance raises questions about whether certain political or religious expressions are selectively discouraged.
