The Founding Fathers thought so highly of robust public discussion, they added the freedom of speech to the 1st Amendment to the Constitution — right after the freedom of religion. Unfortunately, many colleges do not place this same value on the right to free speech.
One junior college student was barred from passing out pocket Constitutions — on Constitution Day. Emory University told students they can’t hang Christmas decorations. And Syracuse University charged a student orientation leader with hazing & suspended her — because she helped organize an optional campus scavenger hunt. There are countless tales of colleges impermissibly chilling speech on campus and punishing students for legally exercising their free speech rights. In this CLE, Zach Greenberg will mainly cover: hate speech vs. free speech, the more speech approach, college standards & regulations, speech codes and free speech zones. Additional topics: public vs. private colleges, harassment policies, the “true threat” standard, thought reform at the University of Delaware and dealing with hateful speech. Zach will also discuss numerous case examples where colleges overstepped their bounds and trampled on student’s First Amendment rights.
A native New Yorker, Zach graduated from Binghamton University in 2013 and Syracuse Law in 2016. Zach developed an appreciation for free speech while leading the College Libertarians and the Federalist Society.