At University of Oklahoma, student members of the Student Government Association (SGA) are actively working to silence conservative groups. For example, they have threatened to revoke funding of groups like Turning Point USA (TPUSA) because they dislike their views. They apply unconstitutional reservation policies to conservative groups, but not others. And when they learned that TPUSA invited conservative speaker Ann Coulter to speak on campus, they did nothing to disavow threats of violence directed at TPUSA’s members or to ensure that their speech would be protected. That is why SLF sent a letter to the OU SGA demanding that it do its job of protecting the First Amendment rights of all students on campus.
1A – University of Oklahoma
Student Government Cancels Conservative Students
About the Case
Case Status
Pre-Litigation
Court
N/A
Why This Matters
College administrators are not the only ones who make policies that violate the First Amendment. Many student governments pass resolutions that silence students. It is imperative that our country’s conservative and libertarian college students attend their school’s student government meetings and get involved.
“Over the past year, there has been an astonishing rise in attacks against conservative students on college campuses from their own representatives on student government,” says SLF attorney Cece O’Leary. “But just like administrators, student governments are bound by the Constitution and must treat all viewpoints equally.”
In response to the University’s response noting its support for free speech rights for all students, SLF general counsel Kim Hermann commends the school and states, “This is a huge step in the right direction at OU.SGA is being held accountable for its intimidating behavior against conservatives.”
“It is an odd twist of events,” Hermann notes. “University administrators are often the worst offenders when it comes to violating students’ First Amendment rights. But at OU, conservatives find themselves relying on administrators for support and protection, instead of their own student government. We are hopeful this is a sign that the tides are changing on college campuses.”
Why This Matters
College administrators are not the only ones who make policies that violate the First Amendment. Many student governments pass resolutions that silence students. It is imperative that our country’s conservative and libertarian college students attend their school’s student government meetings and get involved.
“Over the past year, there has been an astonishing rise in attacks against conservative students on college campuses from their own representatives on student government,” says SLF attorney Cece O’Leary. “But just like administrators, student governments are bound by the Constitution and must treat all viewpoints equally.”
In response to the University’s response noting its support for free speech rights for all students, SLF general counsel Kim Hermann commends the school and states, “This is a huge step in the right direction at OU.SGA is being held accountable for its intimidating behavior against conservatives.”
“It is an odd twist of events,” Hermann notes. “University administrators are often the worst offenders when it comes to violating students’ First Amendment rights. But at OU, conservatives find themselves relying on administrators for support and protection, instead of their own student government. We are hopeful this is a sign that the tides are changing on college campuses.”
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