The Wisconsin Supreme Court (Photo: Andrew Beckett)
The State Supreme Court has ruled that student-protester Jeffery Decker can be banned from University of Wisconsin campuses. However, the court also agreed, in its unanimous ruling handed down Wednesday morning, that an injunction from a Dane County judge was overly broad and must be re-written.
Decker, the son of former state senate majority leader Russ Decker, has protested the way the UW system uses student fees. He claims the money is inappropriately used for construction projects and other items that should be funded through the regular university budget. UW officials said Decker’s protests included a series of threats and amounted to harassment.
In one instance, UW officials claimed Decker was seen stabbing a stack of papers using a pen as a knife during a signing ceremony, while the UW also claims his emails demanding meetings with university officials were threatening. Decker has also attended some events in a homemade dragon costume to protest.
Decker re-enrolled in 2010 to give him access to the campuses to protest. University officials expelled him. In 2011, the UW went to court and won an order barring him from all school grounds. Decker has been removed from UW property several times since the injunction was issued.
Decker maintains his position and innocence, despite today’s ruling.
WSAU