Settlement Reached In UC Berkeley On-Campus Speaker Policy Suit
UC Berkeley and conservative groups Young America’s Foundation and Berkeley College Republicans have reached a settlement in a lawsuit brought by the groups against the university, claiming discriminatory practices that […]
Arkansas Student Newspaper Overcomes Censorship Dispute
The controversy that ensued over an investigation published by student journalists—despite a state law protecting their rights—has come to a close. Student journalists at The Har Ber Herald were forced to remove a […]
Nazi Salute in Photo is Protected by the First Amendment, Baraboo School District Says
Wisconsin high school students went unpunished for appearing in a pre-prom photo in what seems to be a Nazi salute. School administrators say they are protected by the First Amendment. What are the students rights to free speech?
Wisconsin High Court Sides With Professor In Academic Freedom Case
On July 6, 2018, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Marquette University breached its contract with a former professor after he lost his job over a critical blog post in […]
Heterodox Academy Hosts Inaugural Open Mind Conference
Heterodox Academy hosted its inaugural Open Mind Conference last week at TheTimesCenter in New York. Heterodox Academy is a membership association of professors whose mission is “to improve the quality […]
University of Michigan Clarifies Speech Codes On Same Day DOJ Declares Opposition
On June 11, 2018, the Department of Justice filed a “Statement of Interest” in a case between D.C.-based civil rights liberties group Speech First and University of Michigan’s President Mark […]
First Amendment Watch in collaboration with NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New-York Historical Society and the Institute for Constitutional History sponsored a talk for NYC educators by Robert Post, First Amendment scholar and former dean of Yale Law School. The topic, “Free Speech on Campus and Academic Freedom in the Trump Era,” addressed important First Amendment issues facing educators and students. Click through for Facebook Live videos of the event.
Can Universities Charge Security Fees to Campus Groups for Hosting Controversial Speakers?
When University of Washington College Republicans invited conservative activist Joey Gibson to speak on campus, they did not expect to be charged with a $17,000 security fee to ensure that the rally would not get out of hand. The College Republicans sued to proceed with the event which led to clashes, counter protests and several arrests. A letter penned by Professor Eric Schnapper and endorsed by 22 others makes a First Amendment case to protect the right of the College Republicans and other similar groups. University of Washington law professor and Concurring Opinions writer Ronald K.L. Collins states, "the UW Law letter provides an informative guide to much of the existing law concerning free speech rights and security fees. In that regard, it should be useful to college administrators, lawyers representing colleges, lawyers representing students and speakers, and to student organizations in general, among others."