Student activists are all over the news these days. From Yale to Mizzou—and even here at U of L—we’ve seen students demanding high-level administrators to address “racist” or “offensive” incidents on campus. However, student activists may want to consider how the protests will put will put them in the spotlight, for better or for worse.

On Nov. 9, University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe stepped down amid allegations that he failed to properly address racial tensions that had risen to a boiling point on campus. After a series of reports of  racially charged incidents on campus, Wolfe’s administration lagged in delivering an official response or course of action, resulting in the call for his resignation.

Even closer to home, as many of us already know, U of L’s President James Ramsey has been under fire for appearing in a photo dressed in stereotypical “Mexican” garb. The outcry was met with apologies from Ramsey and promises of diversity training, but the event still isn’t sitting right with many. At a time when the university is already under investigation for allegedly providing escort services to basketball recruits, the bad press the school received from Ramsey’s error in judgment certainly doesn’t help.

The similarity in both of these incidents is simple. When a university is suffering from potentially dangerous racial tension, it’s the high-level administration’s job to act on that issue. Wolfe and his administration made the mistake of letting these issues stagnate. While the response of Ramsey and his administration was faster and more thorough, such a lapse in judgment—especially at a time when your university is already receiving bad press—is irresponsible.

However, protests at Yale University that have occurred over the week show a more disconcerting side of this series of issues. Over 1,000 students marched this week to protest what they deemed “racial insensitivity” regarding emails sent through the faculty. The initial email from Dean Burgwell Howard encouraged students to avoid any Halloween costumes that “disrespects, alienates or ridicules,” to which another professor, Erika Christakis, responded suggesting students exercise their free speech and dress how they want.

Christakis made the attempt to argue in favor of the freedom of speech of students, saying that even though costumes may be offensive, students still had the right to wear them. Christakis also questioned that, if offensive costumes were to be banned, who would have the right to decide what was offensive? Christankis and her husband, also a professor at Yale, were met with screams and profanity from the protesters, which was captured on video.

Another video that mirrors the tension was taken at the University of Missouri, showing a student journalist being viciously berated by protesters for attempting to log the event.

So while some instances of student activism are appropriate—and even warranted—there are others that could be deemed as misguided. At an Ivy League school like Yale, video footage of what appears to be a mass lack of understanding of the First Amendment gives me cause for concern. Student activism should be a tool to address issues that need addressing and never be a means for censorship or abuse.

Students—and especially college level students—need to learn to make the distinction between what is important and protest-worthy and not go out for blood over a case of hurt feelings.