Hate Crime followup

Four students confessed to hanging Obama in effigy at George Fox University.

George Fox University broke the news to students and staff Tuesday afternoon at an all-campus meeting. About 1,000 people attended, said Rob Felton, a university spokesman.

A statement from the school said the penalties against the four students were "immediate long-term suspension and public service." The school cited federal privacy rules in not disclosing more about the students or their punishment.

The FBI is investigating whether any civil rights were violated.

Knowing a bit about the behind-the-scenes of this, I have the feeling that the potentially light sentences (while long-term suspension could mean various things, I got community service for smoking a cigarette off campus, for crying out loud!) may have more to do with the FBI investigation - do you expel a kid to go home to Hayden Lake, Idaho or do you keep him or her around for the FBI to question at their leisure? It'll be interesting to see what happens next.