果冻传媒app官方

Table of Contents

果冻传媒app官方, SPLC write Virginia Commonwealth student government amid allegations that members 鈥 including the president 鈥 stole newspapers

Student journalists at VCU鈥檚 The Commonwealth Times, allege they saw SGA President Breanna Harmon, along with other SGA members, emptying newspaper racks on Feb. 26. (Jon Mirador/The Commonwealth Times)

Student journalists at VCU鈥檚 The Commonwealth Times allege they saw SGA President Breanna Harmon, along with other SGA members, emptying newspaper racks on Feb. 26. (Jon Mirador/The Commonwealth Times)

FIRE and the sent a letter today to the president of Virginia Commonwealth University鈥檚 Student Government Association raising free press concerns amid allegations that she and other student government members stole hundreds of copies of the school newspaper when it featured coverage among SGA members.

The letter to SGA President Breanna Harmon details reports from student journalists at VCU鈥檚 , who allege they saw Harmon, along with other SGA members, emptying newspaper racks on Feb. 26, the same day that numerous conflicts between SGA members had led to a 鈥渉ostile鈥 and 鈥渢oxic鈥 environment within the student government.

FIRE and SPLC reminded Harmon that the SGA, which is overseen by the Division of Student Affairs at VCU 鈥 a public university 鈥 functions as an official state actor performing state functions. As such, it is bound to uphold students鈥 constitutional rights and cannot censor speech protected by the First Amendment or infringe on VCU students鈥 right to a free press. Newspaper theft is a recurring (and unlawful) form of censorship on college campuses.

鈥淸I]t appears that SGA members removed the newspapers in an attempt to keep students and other readers from reading The CT鈥檚 coverage of internal rifts within SGA,鈥 FIREand SPLC explain in the letter. We go on to describe the allegations as 鈥渁 clear example of censorship based on content.鈥 

鈥淸N]ot only were the actions that you and other SGA members engaged in a violation of the First Amendment鈥檚 prohibition of content-based censorship,鈥 the letter states, but those actions also 鈥渃onstituted one of the most egregious forms of First Amendment violation: prior restraint.鈥

鈥淚t鈥檚 disconcerting to see members of a student government, who are entrusted by their fellow students to lead, instead working to keep their actions in the shadows by stealing papers from the student body,鈥 said Lindsie Rank, a FIREprogram officer who worked on the case. 

鈥淪tudent newspapers are a key source of information for campus communities,鈥 Rank said. 鈥淪tudent government members, of all people, should be well aware of that fact.鈥

FIRE and the SPLC are asking Harmon and the student government to provide an official response 鈥 one that includes a renewed commitment to upholding students鈥 rights 鈥 by next week. 

In the meantime, you should absolutely read the , and reward attempted censorship with what it deserves most 鈥 additional attention.

Recent Articles

FIRE鈥檚 award-winning Newsdesk covers the free speech news you need to stay informed.

Share