Grambling State University: Ban on Core Political Expression
Cases
Grambling State University
Case Overview
On July 13, 2010, Grambling State University鈥檚 Media Relations department sent an email ordering the GSU community to delete all emails containing political campaign solicitations and not to forward them, saying that doing so might be interpreted as evidence of support for a particular candidate. FIREwrote President Frank G. Pogue on September 1, explaining that this policy unduly restricted the right to freedom of speech. In response, Director of Public Relations Vanessa Littleton claimed that GSU does not prohibit political expression on campus, but cited GSU鈥檚 鈥淓mail Use Policy,鈥 which substantially restricted freedom of speech. For example, it banned 鈥渏oke emails鈥 and those containing 鈥渙ffensive comments鈥 about one鈥檚 political beliefs, among other things. FIREwrote President Pogue again, this time regarding the university鈥檚 legally problematic email code. Pogue responded on October 8, promising to revise the policy. In August 2011, GSU adopted a new email use policy, which did not ban jokes, offensive comments, or political speech.