Suffolk County Community College: Abuse of Harassment and Intimidation Charges to Silence Student Journalist

Case Materials

• "Letter from New York Assembly Member Philip Ramos to Suffolk County Community College President Shirley Pippins, July 16, 2004," July 16, 2004
• "Letter from Suffolk County Community College President Shirley Robinson Pippins to FIRE, March 22, 2004," March 22, 2004
• "FIRE Letter to Suffolk County Community College President Shirley Robinson Pippins, January 13, 2004," January 13, 2004
• "FIRE Letter to Suffolk County Community College President Designate Shirley Robinson Pippins, October 6, 2003," October 6, 2003
• "FIRE Letter to Suffolk County Community College President Salvatore J. La Lima, August 25, 2003," August 25, 2003
• "FIRE Letter to Suffolk County Community College President Salvatore J. La Lima, July 21, 2003," July 21, 2003

Media Coverage

• "Playing a Dangerous Game," Greg Lukianoff and Azhar Majeed, Inside Higher Ed, September 2, 2005: Unfortunately, many colleges — eager to ban speech that administrators or students do not like — have latched onto the “threat” exception of the First Amendment to justify banning speech that is not actually threatening (as the term has been defined by the law) but instead is merely offensive to the listener. Redefining a “threat” as anything that offends is a dangerous game that discredits accusers, underestimates students’ ability to cope with ideas they dislike, and trivializes the seriousness of actual threats of violence.