TRI In The News
College's Censorship Called Out
From One News Now
Original article available here
Though colleges are supposed to be fertile ground for the exchange of ideas, officials at an Illinois community college recently tore down a student's flyers that call for America's return to the Constitution.
Rock Valley College student Dominic Celletti posted flyers to raise awareness about the importance of the U.S. Constitution and the need for citizen activism. However, the school quickly took them down, allegedly because Celletti is not part of any student organization. Rutherford Institute president John Whitehead says that shows the school's disregard for the Constitution.
"We believe that's a violation of his First Amendment rights. Once a school opens [up] what they call a 'forum' ...for different viewpoints -- like a bulletin board; that's considered a forum -- you can't discriminate on the basis of viewpoint, and that's what's happening here," he explains.
And the attorney suggests the idea that Celletti is required to belong to a campus organization in order to express his ideas is just a smokescreen to hide the school's censorship.
"What colleges have been in the past, and [what] the courts have ruled, they're supposedly the marketplace of ideas, where people can debate different issues," Whitehead notes. "Well, obviously here at Rock Valley College, they don't want the students debating these important issues."
The Rutherford Institute president has sent a letter to the school, requesting that officials review their information-posting policies and allow Celletti to display his flyers. If they refuse, Whitehead assures a lawsuit will be filed on the student's behalf.
