Important Free Speech Rules For College Students - PASS ON TO STUDENTS!

Unfortunately, we read too often about colleges trying to stifle free speech on campus, in particular when students dare to speak about controversial views. How sad that this is happening at colleges - the exact places which should be incubators of ideas - all ideas. Students should be pushed to free their minds during college years, listen to alternative views and participate in a marketplace of ideas.

Reason.com - a website with a libertarian point of view - provides outstanding coverage of free speech issues. Reason put together nine short videos on different free speech subjects. Since I have a son in college, I enjoyed reading "College and the First Amendment: Free Speech Views." At this link you will find the post and video (just over 4 minutes): 

College and the First Amendment: Free Speech Rules (Episode 7)

Please share this with any college students you know. It will certainly be an education for them on their free speech rights on campus. They will quickly learn they have substantial 1st Amendment rights if they attend a public college, although this is not true at private colleges. They will also learn that in the classroom, the professor is still in charge, and he or she can put limits on debate, challenge students and even cut them off.

Thanks,

Jim

James Maisano, Esq.

93 Wilson Dr.

New Rochelle, NY 10801

914-636-1621

JMaisanoEsq@gmail.com

Elected Officials Should Not Be Blocking Twitter Followers

I believe that reporter Joe Mahoney is correct here:

https://twitter.com/TipMahoney/status/1095728525263421445

A state legislator would violate the First Amendment by blocking the media or constituents from his or her Twitter feed. Joe Mahoney also had a link on Twitter to a post on the ACLU website - Court Rules Public Officials Can't Block Critics on Facebook - which explains why State Senator Parker's action is unconstitutional. The President faced the same issue on Twitter and lost in federal court - Judge Rules Trump Can’t Block People on Twitter.

No one is above the law, especially elected officials. When this State Senator used Twitter to discuss state issues, his Twitter page became a public forum where viewpoint discrimination is not allowed. One benefit of social media is we can watch our representatives more closely, and we can't hold them accountable if they can simply block us from seeing what they are doing.

I hope the ACLU demonstrates a commitment to its roots as a free speech advocate and brings an action against State Senator Parker as soon as possible.

Jim Maisano

914-636-1621

JMaisanoEsq@gmail.com

Conference at Emory on Free Speech and Academic Freedom

We should all be thankful that thoughtful and concerned people are still fighting to protect and advance free speech and academic freedom - see information on conference at Emory next month -  March 21 to March 23:
https://reason.com/volokh/2019/02/04/conference-at-emory-321-323-on-academic

Jim Maisano

914-636-1621

JMaisanoEsq@gmail.com