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Alabama governor signs vital law protecting free speech on public college campuses

Thursday, June 06, 2019

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Kellie Fiedorek regarding Alabama’s passage of HB 498, a bill that ensures that state-funded public colleges and universities may not ban students from engaging in expressive activity on campus, so long as the student’s conduct is lawful and does not disrupt the functioning of the college or university:

“Public colleges and universities are meant to be free and open to the exchange of ideas—a place where our future teachers, lawyers, doctors, judges, community leaders, and voters can exercise their constitutionally protected freedom of speech. This new law ensures that public universities remain places where intellectual diversity flourishes and all students are able to engage in the exchange of ideas rather than being censored on campus or banished to tiny so-called ‘free speech zones.’ We commend Gov. Ivey and the Alabama Legislature for protecting students’ First Amendment freedoms.”

  • Pronunciation guide: Fiedorek (Fuh-DOHR’-eck)
The ADF Center for Academic Freedom is dedicated to ensuring freedom of speech and association for students and faculty so that everyone can freely participate in the marketplace of ideas without fear of government censorship.
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