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FIRE's open letter to Pres Obama on speech codes

January 20, 2009

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Sent via U.S. Mail and Facsimile (202-456-2461)

Dear President Obama:

I write to you on this historic day to offer my heartfelt congratulations on your inauguration. Your achievement is a testament to the enduring promise of our great democracy and the constitutional ideals upon which our nation was founded.

As President of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), I write also to request your assistance in ending abridgements of free speech on our nation's college campuses. Because you have taught constitutional law, you are particularly attuned to the importance of the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. We therefore sincerely hope that you will help to eliminate censorship on college campuses and restore respect for robust expression in higher education.

Like most Americans, you likely would be surprised to learn how often the right to free expression is violated at our nation's colleges and universities, despite the fact that the vitality of these institutions relies upon the free and open exchange of ideas. In just the last year, FIRE has defended basic constitutional freedoms in some truly remarkable cases at both public and private schools.

To read the rest of this letter, go to FIRE's Web site

FIRE seeking student help to put heat on WVUIT administration for First Amendment abuses

The Torch has been ablaze this week with news and commentary on the victory for freedom of expression in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in DeJohn vs. Temple University. If your university is in a state under the Third Circuit's jurisdiction—that's Pennsylvania, Delaware, or New Jersey—then your school's policies must abide by the strictures of the judges' ruling.

If you're a student at a public college or university in one of those states and you'd like to learn more about your school's speech policies, check out FIRE's Spotlight, our database of policies restricting speech at schools across the country. But whether your university falls under the jurisdiction of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals or not, I encourage you to join FIRE's Campus Freedom Network (CFN) and work with FIRE to make your campus safe for liberty. FIRE is happy to supply you with all the help you'll need, including FIRE's Guides to Student Rights on Campus, Spotlight: The Campus Freedom Resource, and FIRE's multimedia project.

Additionally, FIRE speakers stand ready and willing to speak on your campus. Book one today!

To enlist your aid in the cause, contact Luke Sheahan, pictured above, either via e-mail at fire@thefire.org or telephone at (215) 717-FIRE.

Texas college muzzles concealed handgun protest

Fort Worth, Texas —In a dramatic blow to freedom of expression, Tarrant County College has prohibited its students from wearing empty gun holsters to protest policies that forbid students with concealed carry licenses from carrying concealed handguns on campus.

A TCC administrator told interested students that they could not wear the holsters and could only conduct a protest in the school's tiny and restrictive free speech zone. TCC student and protest organizer Brett Poulos has turned to a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania civil liberties watchdog for help.

"TCC has cast aside decades-old Supreme Court precedent strongly protecting symbolic expression by refusing to recognize its students' right to wear empty holsters to make their point," said Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

"The students were using the empty holsters to protest policies that they believe render students defenseless. They have every right to engage in this symbolic protest, and TCC's cynical attempt to ban dissenting views is both shameful and transparent."

To read more, go to FIRE's Website. Also, to find out more about the protest taking place nationwide, including WVU Tech, go to Students for Concealed Carry on Campus.

FIRE secures victories in Wash., N.J.

Philadelphia, Penn. —The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education has successfully intervened to protect the rights of student groups at New Jersey, and Washington state after student governments at both universities threatened to de-fund the groups for engaging in constitutionally protected expression.

At Montclair State University, the Student Government Association froze funding to the student newspaper, The Montclarion, in retaliation for the paper's attempts to gain access to closed-door SGA meetings. Meanwhile, at Central Washington University, in Ellensburg, the College Republicans were investigated and faced possible loss of funding after they posted flyers promoting an on-campus speech by controversial illegal immigration opponent and Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist.

"These two cases—on opposite sides of the country—are disturbing examples of the willingness of student governments to punish their fellow students for their expression," FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said.

"Both cases had happy endings this time, but how many other students and groups suffer such assaults on their liberty in silence? Student governments need to understand that, just like college administrators, they may not control student expression simply because they control the purse strings."

To read more, go to FIRE's Website.