Faculty Member Takes Box Cutter to Students' Free Speech Wall; Police Threaten Students with Misdemeanor
Two weeks ago, a professor at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) used a box cutter to cut an insult against President Obama out of a "free speech wall" promoted by four student organizations. When campus police arrived, an officer demanded that the students censor the wall or else face criminal charges for having offended the professor. The students have come to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help.
"This is an astounding example of the 'heckler's veto,' where one professor decided he could dictate what everyone else is allowed to say—and the campus police actually took his side," FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said. "Furthermore, it's absurd to threaten students with criminal charges for other people's expression on a 'free speech wall.'"
Read FIRE's press release here>>