University of Wisconsin at La Crosse: Censorship of Student Magazine

Case Materials

• "Victory for Student Press Freedom at University of Wisconsin–La Crosse," FIRE Press Release, April 20, 2006: The University of Wisconsin­­–La Crosse (UW-L) has reversed its decision to censor a satirical student magazine. UW-L’s student government had attempted to limit the printing of the magazine to just a few dozen copies in response to articles some deemed offensive. The magazine’s rights were restored less than a week after FIRE intervened on its behalf.
• "University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Student Association Withdrawal of March 29 Resolution," April 19, 2006
• "FIRE Letter to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse President Douglas N. Hastad, April 13, 2006," April 13, 2006
• "University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Student Association Resolution to Limit Distribution of "The Second Supper"," March 29, 2006
• "Article from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Student Magazine "The Second Supper"," February 28, 2006

Media Coverage

• "The Second Supper's distribution to remain in full," Megan Keller, The Racquet (UW–La Crosse), May 1, 2006: FIRE went on to say, “No campus that claims to take seriously the free speech rights of students may retaliate against a student publication because some students were offended by fully protected speech.”
• "Satire back on track at UW-La Crosse," Dan Powell, The Badger Herald (UW-Madison), April 24, 2006: Second Supper also received national support from the Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a nonprofit educational foundation that defends free speech and other individual rights at all national colleges and universities.
• "Killa Satire," Mark Goldblatt, The American Spectator, April 24, 2006: The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) intervened on Second Supper's behalf, petitioning the college administration and demanding that the press run be restored, and the Student Association last week relented.
• "Satire magazine avoids censorship by student government," Ricky Ribeiro, Student Press Law Center, April 21, 2006: The reversal was a victory for Gullo and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia that intervened on behalf of the paper.