Wichita State Student Government Refuses to Recognize Libertarian Group -Mary Lou Lang:
April 7, 2016 - "The Wichita State University student government has refused to recognize a libertarian group on campus because of its First Amendment principles, and a nonprofit group that defends freedom of speech and academic freedom on campuses is asking the university president to reverse their decision.
"The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education in a letter on Friday to Wichita State President John Bardo demanded he immediately reverse the student government's decision. The letter also asked Bardo to instruct the student government that it cannot discriminate against prospective student groups based on their own viewpoints.
"'The Wichita State student government is engaged in a full-frontal assault on the First Amendment: It unconstitutionally denied a student group official recognition because, ironically, the student group supports the right of freedom of speech,' said Ari Cohn, director of FIRE's Individual Rights Defense Program, in a prepared statement.
"'The Wichita State administration cannot give its student government authority to grant or deny recognition to student groups and then stand idly by when that authority is exercised in a viewpoint discriminatory manner,' said Cohn, adding that the university must reverse the student government's 'unconstitutional actions.'
"The student government questioned student Maria Church about her application to form a campus chapter of the Young Americans for Liberty on April 5. They also asked her about the group's political positions, the issues it will address, and even the group's views on the First Amendment....
"Several senators were against officially recognizing YAL because other chapters of the group have invited speakers such as former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulous to speak on campus.
"'We've seen very dangerous statements being said in the name of free speech,' said one senator. Another said, 'if you want to talk about having free speech, [YAL's] definition of free speech is highly skewed'....
"According to FIRE, their decision is directly in conflict with longstanding First Amendment jurisprudence. In Healy v. James (1972), the U.S. Supreme Court held that a public college may not deny recognition of a student group "simply because it finds the views expressed by any group to be abhorrent."
Read more: http://freebeacon.com/culture/wichita-state-student-government-refuses-recognize-libertarian-group/
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April 7, 2016 - "The Wichita State University student government has refused to recognize a libertarian group on campus because of its First Amendment principles, and a nonprofit group that defends freedom of speech and academic freedom on campuses is asking the university president to reverse their decision.
"The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education in a letter on Friday to Wichita State President John Bardo demanded he immediately reverse the student government's decision. The letter also asked Bardo to instruct the student government that it cannot discriminate against prospective student groups based on their own viewpoints.
"'The Wichita State student government is engaged in a full-frontal assault on the First Amendment: It unconstitutionally denied a student group official recognition because, ironically, the student group supports the right of freedom of speech,' said Ari Cohn, director of FIRE's Individual Rights Defense Program, in a prepared statement.
"'The Wichita State administration cannot give its student government authority to grant or deny recognition to student groups and then stand idly by when that authority is exercised in a viewpoint discriminatory manner,' said Cohn, adding that the university must reverse the student government's 'unconstitutional actions.'
"The student government questioned student Maria Church about her application to form a campus chapter of the Young Americans for Liberty on April 5. They also asked her about the group's political positions, the issues it will address, and even the group's views on the First Amendment....
"Several senators were against officially recognizing YAL because other chapters of the group have invited speakers such as former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulous to speak on campus.
"'We've seen very dangerous statements being said in the name of free speech,' said one senator. Another said, 'if you want to talk about having free speech, [YAL's] definition of free speech is highly skewed'....
"According to FIRE, their decision is directly in conflict with longstanding First Amendment jurisprudence. In Healy v. James (1972), the U.S. Supreme Court held that a public college may not deny recognition of a student group "simply because it finds the views expressed by any group to be abhorrent."
Read more: http://freebeacon.com/culture/wichita-state-student-government-refuses-recognize-libertarian-group/
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