California college bars student from handing out copies of Constitution

[RED333]

The Constitution guarantees the right to free speech, but don’t try to pass out copies of it at Modesto Junior College in California.

A student at the school who tried to pass out pocket-size pamphlets of the very document that memorializes our rights got shut down on Sept. 17 – a date also known as Constitution Day. Campus authorities told Robert Van Tuinen, who caught the whole thing on videotape, he could only pass out the free documents at a tiny designated spot on campus, and only then if he scheduled it several days in advance.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/19/california-college-bars-student-from-handing-out-copies-constitution/#ixzz2fO7hwr4u

 

WHAT A BUNCH OF A$$ HATS

[TrickyNicky]

Well I love the constitution as much as anyone but I have to agree here. If you let this young man start handing out things (anything, even the constitution or bible) willy nilly anywhere he wants then you kind of start something you don't want. Then all the crazies gathering signatures or harassing people over THEIR beliefs can start doing so anywhere anytime.

There is a procedure for getting permission for these activities, if the guy didn't take the time to research that then what can I say? We wouldn't be getting upset were it the communist manifesto being handed out, both are political documents, just you and I and probably everyone here agree with one, some though agree with the other.

I'll pick something else to be outraged over for tonight.

[RED333]

Dadburn it Nick, now you went and made me think I might be wrong on this, I see your point.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Private property. They can dictate what and who can or cannot hand something out on their property. Same way you can prevent the Rainbow Coalition from handing out pamplets on your front lawn.

[Guest The Itis]

Those constitutions were probably laced with razor blades

[Guest 6.8 AR]

It's not a private college, part of the California Junior Colleges system, or something like that. Looks like a public college to me.

Looks like it had several Berkely folks around, though. I just know they love free speech, when it conforms to their ideals.

[JayC]

But it's not private property...  it's a public college.

 

EDIT: Sorry 6.8 beat me too it :)

 

Private property. They can dictate what and who can or cannot hand something out on their property. Same way you can prevent the Rainbow Coalition from handing out pamplets on your front lawn.

Edited September 20, 2013 by JayC

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Well I love the constitution as much as anyone but I have to agree here. If you let this young man start handing out things (anything, even the constitution or bible) willy nilly anywhere he wants then you kind of start something you don't want. Then all the crazies gathering signatures or harassing people over THEIR beliefs can start doing so anywhere anytime.

There is a procedure for getting permission for these activities, if the guy didn't take the time to research that then what can I say? We wouldn't be getting upset were it the communist manifesto being handed out, both are political documents, just you and I and probably everyone here agree with one, some though agree with the other.

I'll pick something else to be outraged over for tonight.

They've been handing stuff out, posting on poles, getting in your face, as long as I've been alive. I doubt it has stopped,

due to some regulation.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

They've been handing stuff out, posting on poles, getting in your face, as long as I've been alive. I doubt it has stopped,
due to some regulation.

I was wondering where all those "THE END IS NEAR" flyers were coming from! :)

[TerryW]

I don't know but I bet they could hand out the koran, anti-USA or gay propaganda without any questions.  

Edited September 20, 2013 by TerryW

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Student Union Building at a college near you. :D

[Guest TankerHC]

Had to look for another article and see what the Campus policies were. It's not just the Constitution, its everyone. The College has poicies that limit protests and expressions to certain areas and times and places. Any student who wants to hand out flyers, protest or something along those lines fills out a form and they are given a time and place. You go through the Student Development Office. 

 

The student wanted to see if those restrictions would stop him from handing out the Constitution on Constitution Day. If he would have filled out the request, probably would not have had a problem

 

 

"Robert Van Tuinen, a student at Modesto Junior College in California, had a theory. He believed that the policies at his college limiting protests and expression were so restrictive that the college would try to shut him down even if he tried to hand out copies of the United States Constitution on September 17--Constitution Day."

 

 

He may be able to get the Policy changed now. But the opinions will definitely vary. If it is across the board and consistent, then I dont have a problem with it. Colleges and Universities are a place of higher learning. Whats to stop those students who have no interest in your ideals from stopping students who are just trying to get to class, because they can protest wherever they want? 

 

If it is JUST the Constitution, that would be an entirely different story. Seems Modesto is one that has a policy that pizzes everyone off. 

Edited September 20, 2013 by TankerHC

[TerryW]

I'm sure the ACLU is all over this....

[Guest TankerHC]

1 in 6 of the top 400 Universities in the US have the same policies. Including some pretty Conservative schools. USM, South Alabama, St. Cloud, Texas A&M.

 

Edited September 20, 2013 by TankerHC

[JayC]

'Free Speech Zones' on public college campuses are unconstitutional, and in most states illegal.  FIRE has yet to loose a case involving these zones, they are always held as unconstitutional.

 

Had to look for another article and see what the Campus policies were. It's not just the Constitution, its everyone. The College has poicies that limit protests and expressions to certain areas and times and places. Any student who wants to hand out flyers, protest or something along those lines fills out a form and they are given a time and place. You go through the Student Development Office. 

 

The student wanted to see if those restrictions would stop him from handing out the Constitution on Constitution Day. If he would have filled out the request, probably would not have had a problem

 

 

"Robert Van Tuinen, a student at Modesto Junior College in California, had a theory. He believed that the policies at his college limiting protests and expression were so restrictive that the college would try to shut him down even if he tried to hand out copies of the United States Constitution on September 17--Constitution Day."

 

 

He may be able to get the Policy changed now. But the opinions will definitely vary. If it is across the board and consistent, then I dont have a problem with it. Colleges and Universities are a place of higher learning. Whats to stop those students who have no interest in your ideals from stopping students who are just trying to get to class, because they can protest wherever they want? 

 

If it is JUST the Constitution, that would be an entirely different story. Seems Modesto is one that has a policy that pizzes everyone off. 

[Guest ThePunisher]

Those Junior Colleges are part of the Kalifornistan Marxist education brainwashing systems. No Americanism allowed. The ex-hippies that are running these colleges forget they had the freedom to protest and assemble in the '60's and '70's.

[Guest TankerHC]

'Free Speech Zones' on public college campuses are unconstitutional, and in most states illegal.  FIRE has yet to loose a case involving these zones, they are always held as unconstitutional.

 

They have not been ruled Unconstitutional. Elements of the rules were ruled Unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in one or two cases, this led to not a stop of Free Speech Zones, but just to more areas where Free Speech were allowed. The Supreme Court also ruled that their decision did not apply to Private Colleges and Universities. 

 

The only lawsuit I see with any significance that was brought by FIRE was one that a Federal District Court Judge ruled was Unconstitutional because it restricted Free Speech not "to the zones" but because the Free Speech restrictions were hidden. So the School (Texas A&M) just published their policies, and under the SCOTUS rulings still have free speech zones, just more of them. The four requirements laid down by the Supreme Court to qualify as a restriction to free speech easily gets passed by these schools with zones.

 

COnsidering what this Supreme Court did concerning ACA, I dont see that changing anytime soon. Unfortunately Roberts needs to stay, he retires, (Or any of them) Obama will put in a another Kagan. Then it wont be just free speech zones, it will be everything.  

 

Texas A&M stated last year their policy will not change.

 

""The courts have said you can designate where you can hold free speech and where you can't," he said. "The purpose of A&M's rules are to keep free speech away from where students are and where it doesn't interfere with the school."

Edited September 20, 2013 by TankerHC

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Regardless, it's still California. They punch a different time clock. What used to be the free bastion of Peace, music

and love, maybe farther than the Haight-Ashbury district, they have been historically known to protest, paste crap on

poles and be rowdy in public. Free Speech zones are a bunch of poop. This is political, even if it all over the country.

I wonder. Was he being rowdy? Was he on acid? Was he disturbing anyone's inner sensibilities? Yeh, right.

 

The idea of handing out something educational, especially when most people barely know of its existence, is a bit

distressing to me. I don't consider handing out copies of the US Constitution disrupting, in the least. Voluntarily, at

that.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Was Bush Jr the first one to have free speech zone reservations for liberals on his speeches in usa cities, where the protesters had to protest in a pen about a block or two away from the event? Or did Clinton have those as well?

Edited September 20, 2013 by Lester Weevils

[JAB]

Private property.

 

Is it?  From what I can find, Modesto Junior College is a Community College and part of the California Community Colleges system.  As far as I can tell, it is a public/state school, not a private school so would it still be considered 'private property'?

 

That said, I can certainly see that there would need to be procedures in place to prevent everybody and their brother who wants to hand out materials from interfering with their main goal of education and a smoothly operating campus/classes.

 

 

Same way you can prevent the Rainbow Coalition from handing out pamplets on your front lawn.

 

You mean they politely asked him to stop - while holding a shotgun? :pleased: