FIX EXCLUSIVES
Community College of Philadelphia student says he believes his conservative beliefs were the reason
A conservative student at the Community College of Philadelphia, who was impeached as its Student Government Association president earlier this year, is moving on from the experience.
Frank Scales, (pictured, center) a senior biology major at the public college, told The College Fix he is in the process of starting a Young Republicans chapter on campus in the fall.
Scales served as the SGA president for the 2024-25 school year, but said he was ousted in March after allegations of “hate speech.”
In a recent phone call with The Fix, Scales said that, in the impeachment hearing, “their main argument against me was that they can’t work with me because of my political affiliations.”
He added that one student said “he thought I was a good representative until he’d seen my Trump endorsement.”
In a series of complaint forms Scales provided to The Fix by email, students claimed Scales was “racist,” and that “his behavior might have an air of toxic white masculinity to it.” He denies these allegations.
Professor Jeffrey Markovitz, who co-advises for the student government, also said in an email to the SGA members at the time that he would “not associate in any way with Frank Scales,” adding, “His ethics and behaviors are in direct conflict with mine, and I will no longer compromise my values,” according to documents Scales provided to The Fix.
Markovitz did not respond to multiple emails from The Fix asking for comment.
The Fix also emailed Angie Orozco-Rasique, the current SGA president, for comment, but she did not reply.
Along with the SGA’s actions, Scales said the college also investigated him and initially found him guilty of “threatening behavior.”
“Specifically, you are accused of using derogatory language in reference to people of color and other marginalized groups, disrupting queer-sponsored events, and being verbally abusive in your tone and words towards others (not just students),” according to a letter from the college, dated July 23, 2024, notifying him of an investigation into his actions. He provided a copy to The Fix.
Scales told The Fix over email that the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression became involved in the situation.
FIRE’s Aaron Corpora told The Fix that he sent a letter to the community college in September, which stated, “The Supreme Court has repeatedly, consistently, and clearly held that expression may not be punished on the basis that others find it offensive, derogatory, or abusive,” and requested that the college “stop investigating Scales’ protected expression without punishment.”
After a disciplinary hearing on Sept. 12, Scales was deemed responsible for “Threatening Behavior/Harassment/Bullying,” and was ordered to do “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” and “Civility & Safe Space” training, as detailed in CCP’s multiple letters to Scales, which he provided to The Fix.
Scales appealed the hearing results on the grounds of insufficient evidence, and his claim was upheld, so the order for sensitivity training was dropped, he told The Fix.
College spokesperson Megan Lello declined to comment on the situation when contacted by The Fix.
Looking to the future, Scales told The Fix that he still wants to be involved in political and advocacy work “on a bigger scale.”
“I’m interested in college campuses and how … the administration seem to suppress students, with even student support,” he said. “I experienced… their corruption… that the conservatives have been talking about.”
Scales said he is planning to start a Young Republicans chapter in the fall, and he hopes to create an “organization called Conservative Kids of America to basically promote volunteering for different campaigns from New York to Baltimore.”
“Also, from that organization, I’m going to be starting a paper called Surge Philly to promote small businesses and the conservative movement in Philadelphia,” he said.
Scales told The Fix his goal is to “spread the conservative movement behind enemy lines.”
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IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: Student Frank Scales (center) talks on the phone; Frank Scales
