FIRE has been sending letters to public universities, including ours, that updates the schools on the latest in campus free speech rulings from DeJohn v Temple.

The basic point is that for too long, our nation's public colleges and universities have completely ignored the fact that as government institutions, they are legally required to be in full compliance with the First Amendment. That these public institutions have continued to maintain unconstitutional restrictions on student speech�despite over twenty years of federal caselaw striking down speech codes!�is an affront to our legal system, a black mark on our public system of education, and an embarrassment for our nation.

No doubt the university is more focused on budget issues than speech codes right now, but following court decisions should not be optional for universities. The letter will serve as notice that free speech advocates will be on the lookout for violations, including at SCSU, which still has a "red light" for its speech code from FIRE.

(h/t: reader jw)

Labels: higher education