NEW ORLEANS — A First Amendment issue is brewing at Grambling State University.
Grambling President Frank Pogue on July 13 issued an e-mail to students, prohibiting political expression via e-mail, said Marjorie Esman, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana.
“The First Amendment exists to protect speech, including political speech. Grambling students have the right to make political statements, including those in support of political candidates,” Esman said Wednesday in a letter to Pogue. “As a state university, Grambling should encourage its students to respect our Constitution and to exercise their rights. Instead, it has violated those rights by telling students that they may not express their political views.”
Grambling has denied prohibiting students or employees from political expression but had no further comment on the issue.
GSU is “communicating on this matter with legal counsel and the governing board,” said Vanessa Littleton, a spokeswoman for the university.
The university also reissued its e-mail use policy which, among other things, says the university’s e-mail system “shall not be used for the creation or distribution of any disruptive or offensive messages, including offensive comments about race, gender, hair color, disabilities, age, sexual orientation, pornography, religious beliefs and practice, political beliefs or national origin.”
Esman said the university’s response is insufficient.
