As part of the network’s never-ending quest to one up itself when it comes to absurd takes about education in the state of Florida, MSNBC’s Tuesday edition of Alex Wagner Reports ran a sob story on Catherine “Libby” Harrity, a former New College student who was kicked out of the school for spitting on conservative board of trustees member Christopher Rufo.
As part of a pre-recorded report, Wagner recalled how Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Rufo the board and that in May he traveled to New College “to sign three controversial education bills.”
Mixed in with Wagner’s narration was footage of Harrity, who was the student senate president at the time, leading protests on that day, “All of this shows Ron DeSantis who New College is and why we care about what we care about… Let it show you that the people of Florida will not run away. Let it show you that the people of Florida will rise up.”
After a clip of DeSantis joking the protests were smaller than he was hoping for, Harrity, in present day, declared:
We were chanting things like, “We live here. This is our home. Let us learn what we want.” Later that day, the event closes, and Christopher Rufo comes out, with an entourage of police officers surrounding him and he engages with the crowd. I made my way to the front of the crowd in order to show my face as a representative of the New College population. To show that we were angry, to show that this wasn't okay for him to do. And then, as a form of protest, I spit on the ground. That's the alleged time in which some of that spittle may or may not have hit the shoe of Christopher Rufo.
The fact that Harrity’s “shirt” for that day was a rainbow flag only shows just how unserious she and her movement are. As does the fact that she thought she could get away with it as Wagner followed up, “Rufo filed criminal charges against Harrity. Facing arrest and mounting legal bills, Harrity had a difficult choice to make.”
Harrity lamented that, “the agreement that was made between myself and Christopher Rufo, by way of our legal counsel, was that I would voluntarily withdraw from the school, never to return, and he would drop the charges as filed by the district attorney.”
Wagner did provide a response from Rufo, “we are establishing a new standard of civil discourse at New College, and there will be no tolerance for politically motivated violence on campus.”
However, that was quickly placed to the side as Wagner sadly reported, “Harrity is now enrolled in a different college, more than a thousand miles from her home in Florida.”
Mourning that her actions actually had consequences, Harrity proclaimed, “This entire situation has turned my life upside down. This has been incredibly traumatic. I've been forcibly removed from the place that has been more my home than any other place in the entire world. A place that I've dedicated my entire heart and soul to for two years. I am emotionally distraught, devastated.”
There was a really easy way Harrity could’ve avoided that. All she had to do was act like an adult.
This segment was sponsored by Babbel.
Here is a transcript for the August 29 show:
MSNBC Alex Wagner Tonight
8/30/2023
9:35 PM ET
ALEX WAGNER: Board member Christopher Rufo has been behind many of the changes at New College, despite the fact that he has no formal background in education. He was installed on the board of trustees by Governor DeSantis as part of his mission to stop woke in Florida schools.
In May, DeSantis visited New College to sign three controversial education bills. He was met with protests.
CATHERINE “LIBBY” HARRITY: All of this shows Ron DeSantis who New College is and why we care about what we care about.
WAGNER: Student Senate President Libby Harrity was one of the leaders of those protests.
HARRITY: Let it show you that the people of Florida will not run away. Let it show you that the people of Florida will rise up.
RON DESANTIS: You know, I saw some of the protesters out there, I was a little disappointed, I was hoping for more, but you know.
HARRITY: We were chanting things like, “We live here. This is our home. Let us learn what we want.” Later that day, the event closes, and Christopher Rufo comes out, with an entourage of police officers surrounding him and he engages with the crowd. I made my way to the front of the crowd in order to show my face as a representative of the New College population. To show that we were angry, to show that this wasn't okay for him to do. And then, as a form of protest, I spit on the ground. That's the alleged time in which some of that spittle may or may not have hit the shoe of Christopher Rufo.
WAGNER: Rufo filed criminal charges against Harrity. Facing arrest and mounting legal bills, Harrity had a difficult choice to make.
HARRITY: So, the agreement that was made between myself and Christopher Rufo, by way of our legal counsel, was that I would voluntarily withdraw from the school, never to return, and he would drop the charges as filed by the district attorney.
WAGNER: When asked about the agreement, Rufo said, “we are establishing a new standard of civil discourse at New College, and there will be no tolerance for politically motivated violence on campus.”
Harrity is now enrolled in a different college, more than a thousand miles from her home in Florida.
HARRITY: This entire situation has turned my life upside down. This has been incredibly traumatic. I've been forcibly removed from the place that has been more my home than any other place in the entire world. A place that I've dedicated my entire heart and soul to for two years. I am emotionally distraught, devastated.
