Commonwealth Policy Center

A California community college graduate has settled a lawsuit that will end limits on free speech on campus. Kevin Shaw wanted to pass out copies of the U.S. Constitution on campus grounds, but school officials told him that he could only do it in a designated “free speech zone.” After a two year legal battle, the Los Angeles Community College District has agreed to end those zones and allow free speech in all areas of campus. After the settlement, Shaw said, “I’m thankful to know future students won’t have to worry about being harassed for expressing political opinions.” This is an important legal victory for the First Amendment, which, if the administrators understood it, would have prevented this controversy in the first place.