In August, the National Park Service issued a proposed rule to introduce fees for holding protests on the National Mall, posing a serious threat to Americans’ right to free speech and assembly.
NCAC Supports Prison Legal News in Fight Against Florida Department of Corrections
NCAC has joined with 17 other organizations in filing a brief with the US Supreme Court in the case of Prison Legal News v. Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections.
Remembering Robert M. O’Neil
Former NCAC board member and leading First Amendment attorney Robert O’Neil leaves behind a legacy of inclusion and equal rights.
Former NCAC Executive Director, Joan Bertin, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
The Hugh M. Hefner Foundation will give its First Amendment Lifetime Achievement Award to Joan Bertin, longtime Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Censorship.
NCAC Supports University of Mary Washington’s Efforts to Protect Free Speech on Campus
The university was sued by a group of students for failing to protect them from peer-on-peer harassment by not banning a social media app. NCAC writes in support of the university’s commitment to free speech.
Masterpiece Cakeshop v Colorado Civil Rights Commission
The Masterpiece Cake case that is currently before the Supreme Court is not about speech–it is about conduct. The First Amendment protects the baker’s right to condemn gay marriage, but it does not exempt him from obeying otherwise valid and neutral business regulations that require that he treat his customers equally.
NCAC Stands Up For Student Right to Protest in Oklahoma
NCAC has urged an Oklahoma board of education to rescind its policy of disciplining students who do not stand during the national anthem as students have the right to peaceful and non-disruptive political speech, which includes the right to protest.
Violent Protestors Misunderstand the First Amendment
The violent protesters of Charles Murray need to understand a basic principle: the right to speech exists for all, or for none.
Removing Peltier Art From Government Building Raises First Amendment Concerns
The removal of artworks by incarcerated Native American activist Leonard Peltier from a Washington state government building raises serious First Amendment concerns.
Public Says “Yes” to Free Speech for Students
A new Newseum survey shows that Americans have trouble explaining what rights are enshrined in the First Amendment. But when it comes to student speech rights, they take a friendly view of free speech.
TomDispatch on Surveillance Abuses, Past and Present
This is a good, concise history of abuses by the intelligence community and offers a great argument against warrantless surveillance. Without that break-in by the Media 8, J. Edgar Hoover’s “shadow FBI,” a criminal conspiracy at the heart of a developing national security state, might never have been revealed. (The CIA, officially banned from domestic […]
The First Amendment in Schools: A Resource Guide
How does the First Amendment protect the rights of students and teachers? This guide provides background on the legal and practical questions surrounding school censorship controversies.
Board of Ed v. Pico: 31 years of reading freely in school libraries
If you love libraries, you might know that today marks the anniversary of an important decision upholding the First Amendment in schools. In Board of Ed. v. Pico (1982), the plurality opinion stated that school libraries have “special characteristics” as providers of free access to information, and should be especially vigilant of upholding students’ First […]
SCOTUS Bans Demonstrations on Grounds
The following post was written by NCAC’s summer legal intern, Ryan Gander. Ryan is a current student at Columbia Law School. His interests include philosophy, civil liberties, science fiction, and video games. The Supreme Court has a troubled relationship with the First Amendment and that’s not even talking about what goes on in the courtroom. […]
Non-Traditional Families Book Banning Bonanza
(applause for alliteration, please) This month we’ve been working on restoring two children’s picture books teaching tolerance for different types of families. Though they are quite different in content, tone, reading level and appropriateness, their challenges parallel one another immensely. Book one is The Family Book by Todd Parr, a peppy, colorful and simple picture book […]
Three Cheers for Broken Arrow School Board!
After a busy week working to fight back against book bans and challenges, we were thrilled to see some good news. A Tulsa school district recently heard a parent’s challenge to the book Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford. The parent who challenged the book called the book “vulgar, vulgar, vulgar,” objecting to its references […]
Video From Occupy Wall Street at Zuccotti Park Standoff
This morning, we took a moment to capture a bit of the action at Zuccotti Park in the wake of the late night, NYPD eviction of the encampment that had lasted almost two months. Here, a participant in the Occupy Wall Street movement talks about the judge’s restraining order stating protestors must be allowed entrance […]
Truly Free Speech Protects Kids From Bullying
This week, Stephanie Mencimer at MotherJones.com reported on horrifying cases of harassment and suicides in the Anoka-Hennepin schools of Minnesota, in Rep. Michelle Bachman’s district. The article, published within days of a suit filed against the district by the Southern Poverty Law Center, has further mobilized advocates calling for expanded anti-bullying policies and legislation. The […]
Reading Below the Fold, and Between the Lines
After a member of the La Salle University’s faculty hosted an optional symposium with special guests (read: exotic dancers), the editors of the university’s paper The Collegian knew they had a story on their hands. One of the Collegian staff members interviewed two students who had attended the conference, as well as university officials and the professor […]
Senators Call For Response to Idiotic Burning of Qur’an, But What Kind?
A couple weeks ago, Terry Jones finally gave into his burning desire to burn a Qur’an. Over the weekend, Afghans rioted over online video of the burning, resulting in the deaths of up to 20 people. General Petreus called the burning a “security threat” to the Afghan occupation, and Senators Harry Reid and Lindsay Graham […]
