Clemson Student Leader, Who Sat During Pledge of Allegiance as Protest, Is Impeached

Jaren Stewart, Clemson University’s student-body vice president who sat in protest during the Pledge of Allegiance, has been impeached by the student senate, the Associated Press reports. But a spokesman for the university, John Gouch, told the AP that the move to impeach Mr. Stewart began before he started protesting.

According to the AP, the student leader behind the move to impeach, Miller Hoffman, said it was related to a document that alleged Mr. Stewart had engaged in misconduct. Mr. Stewart was out of town when he was impeached.

Along with some other student-government leaders, Mr. Stewart remained sitting while the Pledge of Allegiance was recited at a student-government meeting in September. Mr. Stewart, who is black, did so in solidarity with NFL players who have protested racism by taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem, the AP reports.

The senate will now hold an impeachment hearing at which Mr. Stewart will be tried and, possibly, removed from office.