University of Chicago: Denial of TPUSA’s Application for Recognition

FIRE wrote our 2022 top-ranked school for free speech to remind it that its commitments to freedom of association bar it from denying student group recognition based on viewpoint.

Los Angeles City College: Administrators Threaten Student Journalists’ and Newspaper Adviser’s Rights

LACC bars student journalists from entering public spaces and events and calls the student paper’s adviser into a meeting with the president amidst public criticism of the school’s treatment of the press.

University of Colorado, Boulder: Administration Publicly Announces Inquiry into a Student’s Tweet

Utah Library Association adv. City of Orem: City Punishing Librarians for Protected Speech

The City of Orem banned book displays for gay pride month, women’s history, as well as heritage-month displays for minority groups because it didn’t like the viewpoints. When the Utah Library Association (ULA) criticized that policy, the City stripped library staff, including Orem librarian and former president of the ULA Rita Christensen, of a key professional benefit the city provided for years: time and resources to join and participate in ULA programs.

City University of New York: Chancellor, Board of Trustees Label Law School Commencement Remarks ‘Hate Speech,’ Claim It’s Not Free Speech

FIRE wrote CUNY to explain that speech does not lose its First Amendment protection solely because some deem it hateful.

Pennsylvania State University: Administrator Interferes With Student Group’s Attempt to Expel Member

FIRE reminds Penn State that student groups have associational rights to discipline their own members.

University at Buffalo: Student Government Bars Recognition to Student Groups Associated With Outside Organizations

University at Buffalo: Student Government Bars Recognition to Student Groups Associated With Outside Organizations

Henderson v. School District of Springfield R-12

When civil rights plaintiffs sue the government under Section 1983 for violations of their constitutional rights, like suppression of free speech, they often face steep odds stacked against them. Suing the government is expensive and can take years, but many constitutional violations do not result in high-dollar damages that a plaintiff can win. This makes it difficult for civil rights plaintiffs to find attorneys willing to represent them. To fix this problem, Congress passed a law allowing Section 1983 plaintiffs to recover attorneys’ fees from the government when they win. Importantly, the reverse is not true: Government defendants can recover their attorneys’ fees only when plaintiffs file extremely frivolous, bad faith Section 1983 claims. But in the Western District of Missouri, a federal court recently flipped that logic on its head.

Uvalde School District Bans Parent for Criticizing School Security: Adam Martinez adv. Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District

Adam Martinez is a father of two children in the Uvalde, Texas public school district, one of whom was present at Robb Elementary during the shooting that resulted in the death of 21 people on May 24, 2022. After the shooting, Martinez became a vocal public critic of the school district’s security efforts. On February 13, 2023, he attended a school board meeting and approached the school district’s chief of police to discuss a recently hired officer who had been deemed ineligible for rehire by another department. The quiet conversation did not disrupt the meeting. However, in response to Martinez’s calm but impassioned criticism of the district’s hiring practices, the police chief asked Martinez to sit down. When Martinez refused, the police chief said Martinez would be banned from all school property and escorted him and his family from the building. The following day, the district’s interim superintendent sent Martinez a formal letter confirming Martinez’ ban from all district property, including board meetings, for two years.

Northwestern University: Student Government Freezes College Republicans Funding

FIRE wrote Northwestern after student government freezes campus organization’s funding, claiming its flyers promoting its on-campus event violated discrimination, harassment policies