Posted on 10/01/2009 3:49:54 AM PDT by Man50D
Community Colleges of Spokane and Spokane Falls Community College officials agreed to a court order Thursday that settles a lawsuit filed after they attempted to unconstitutionally silence the pro-life message of a student group. SFCC officials threatened student Beth Sheeran, represented by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund, and other members of a Christian student group with disciplinary measures, including expulsion, if they chose to hold a pro-life event on campus because the information they were sharing with other students was deemed “discriminatory” and did not include a pro-abortion viewpoint.
The agreed-upon order eliminates or revises the problematic policies and programs that led to the unconstitutional treatment of the student organization.
“Christian pro-life students shouldn’t be silenced, discriminated against, and threatened with expulsion for attempting to share their beliefs on public college campuses,” said Litigation Staff Counsel Heather Gebelin Hacker with the ADF Center for Academic Freedom. “We are pleased that the college officials have agreed to change their unconstitutional policies and programs so that pro-life students can voice their viewpoints, just like any other group of students on campus.”
An official rejected Sheeran’s timely request to hold a pro-life event on campus on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade that involved flier distribution and materials posted in a display case in the student center. The official said college policy prohibited one-sided events and expressive displays on campus and that the pro-life display would not be allowed because it did not include any pro-abortion viewpoints.
Another administrator later told Sheeran that the group could have the event as long as they voted on it, but after they did so, the club’s faculty advisor told the students that their flier was “offensive” and that their event violated the district’s “Stop the Hate” policy--as well as state law. The advisor said the students could face expulsion if they “offended” anyone. Sheeran and the club never held the event.
The order issued by the court requires the college district to revise its policies and procedures, requires revision of certain Washington state administrative codes, and modifies the “Stop the Hate” program’s unconstitutional provisions.
ADF attorneys filed the lawsuit, Sheeran v. Shea, against college officials in March, and Hacker presented oral argument in a hearing at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington in April. ADF-allied attorney Jeffrey Smith of The Smith Law Group in Spokane served as local counsel in the case.
SFCC officials threatened student Beth Sheeran, represented by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund, and other members of a Christian student group with disciplinary measures, including expulsion, if they chose to hold a pro-life event on campus because the information they were sharing with other students was deemed “discriminatory” and did not include a pro-abortion viewpoint.Ok. So what about all those other cases, involving SFCC officials going after anti-war demonstrators because the information they were sharing didn't include a pro-war point of view?
...[sound of crickets]...
This is fantastic news! Congrats to ADF for winning free speech protections for all students in Washington State!
Proof that the culture war can and should be fought in the education arena.
A momentary victory. The fascists are still in charge at Spokane. They should be watched closely. Eternal vigilance....
Sounds like they need a new faculty advisor.
Did that happen?
No, it didn’t. I was being sarcastic.
That was kinda my point. I don’t mind the original policy TOO much...as long as they are consistent. If they WERE consistent, think of the counter-protest/demonstration possibilities for us. If every leftoid demonstration/protest/speaker HAD to be countered with equal time? It could be a good thing.
You’re right. But this is America. Such regulations will always only have one-way enforcement.
Then at that time we fight. Making unsubstantiated claims makes us look like paranoid moonbats.
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