U.S. Senator Tim Scott joined Senators Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz in demanding answers from Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch regarding the 12 South Carolina pro-life students, who faced harassment and expulsion by staff from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. On January 20th.
12 students from a Catholic school in Greenville, were in D.C. for March for Life. After attending the March, the students and their chaperones visited the Museum wearing caps that said “Rosary PRO-LIFE”.
Reports indicate that museum staff mocked the students, cursed at them, and made comments that the museum was a “neutral zone” where they could not wear “political” attire. The students were then forced to leave the museum.
A spokesperson for the Smithsonian later acknowledged that this incident had occurred and said that this was not in line with museum policy. In the letter the Senators said "We are deeply concerned about this unjust expulsion of young Americans from museums—subsidized with taxpayer dollars—for wearing apparel that your staff disagreed with.”