SORRY, STANFORD, THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

In the matter of a shared photograph that might be of sorority girls grappling with Mein Kampf, a Stanford Morale Conditioner defended the university's investigation of the matter with "No one is being punished or investigated by the university for reading a book."  The Morale Conditioners don't have to investigate reading, because the possibility that someone, somewhere, might be troubled by the sight of that image, is enough reason for the Grossfahndung.

Whether the student was reading the book for a course, independent study, or using it as a prop in a joke, our concerns remain. The presence of the book is what prompted the filing of the PIH report. IHE’s description of the photo suggests that the book was being used as part of a joke. (That said, it’s difficult to ascertain whether someone is “actually” reading a book in a photo or simply posing.). But even if the book was simply part of a joke, the photograph is still protected expression.

It used to be that "inappropriately directed laughter" had to involve, you know, somebody laughing. To the current crop of humorless functionaries at Stanford, now, apparently that the picture gives somebody the opportunity to snicker is thoughtcrime enough.