Pierce College Student Wins ‘Free Speech Zone’ Lawsuit Against School

Pierce College has been forced to abandon its “free speech zone” policy after losing a lawsuit that was sparked after a student was told he couldn’t hand out copies of the Constitution on campus.

In November 2016, Pierce College student Kevin Shaw was told that he was not permitted to hand out copies of the U.S. Constitution on campus. Shaw was told that he would only be permitted to hand out copies of the Constitution inside the campus’ tiny “free speech zone,” a 616-square foot area which makes up only .003 percent of the total area of the campus.

FIRE Director of Litigation Marieke Tuthill Beck-Coon said that Shaw has been fighting for his First Amendment rights ever since they told him he was not permitted to hand out copies of the Constitution in the center of campus. “More than two years ago, administrators wrongly told Kevin he was not allowed to hand out copies of the U.S. Constitution in the center of his public college campus,” she said. “He’s been standing up for his First Amendment rights every day since, and in the process has vindicated the rights of every student in the district.”

This week, the Los Angeles Community College District, which oversees Pierce College, agreed to withdraw the unconstitutional “free speech zone” policy at all of its campuses.

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