Southwestern College Is Infringing Free Speech

Saying that a public college "must uphold the highest possible commitment to freedom of speech and exchange of ideas," the ACLU sent a demand letter to Southwestern College's president expressing serious concerns about the school's actions in ordering students to disperse a peaceful rally and in retaliating against faculty who had participated.

The ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties is prepared to take whatever actions necessary to enforce the paramount right to freedom of speech in a public college.

In a letter sent today to Dr. Raj Chopra, Southwestern's president, San Diego ACLU legal director, David Blair-Loy, called on the college to "revise its policies to allow free speech and assembly throughout the campus," except in the limited instances where such speech seriously disrupts instruction or free passage. The letter also calls for the college to repudiate and apologize for issuing unlawful orders to disperse and for engaging in unlawful retaliation against faculty.

Read the letter, below.

ACLU Letter to Southwestern College

2009 11 09 Southwestern College.pdf