Student activism is as entwined with the American college experience as all-nighters and frat parties. From the Vietnam War to animal lab testing, there are always causes that bright young students will gravitate toward. In early 2024, the issue making waves on campuses across the nation is the armed conflict between Israel and Palestine — with student-led groups showing support or protesting one or both of the embattled countries.

Protesting is a protected right for students under the First Amendment. However, that doesn't stop universities from trying to curb the efforts of students if the angle of their activism contradicts the school's stance. One way they will do this is by disciplining participating students for violating the school's code of conduct — likely as a disorderly conduct offense.

If you are a student who believes your free speech rights have been suppressed by your university, contact the Lento Law Firm today. Our Student Defense Team will do our best to ensure your rights are being recognized and upheld. Call 888-535-3686 or fill out our online form to tell us about your case.

Legal Battle In Florida

Campus activism regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict recently came to a head in Florida, where a legal showdown is brewing between the Florida State University system and two campus chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).

The rift stems from an October memo sent out by Ray Rodrigues, the chancellor of the Florida State University system, in which he demanded that school leaders deactivate their local SJP chapters. He argued that the National SJP group supports terrorism, and because the local chapters share the same name, they must be disbanded.

The student-led local SJP chapters disagreed, of course. They sued the state's university system, citing the memo as a violation of their free speech rights. They also refer to requests made by Florida officials asking the chapters to publicly reject violence and promise they aren't involved with Hamas — two things the SJP never claimed to support in the first place.

Faced with the legal implications, higher education leaders are now backpedaling, claiming that the memo was more of an “open letter” than an order. Why? Because courts consider First Amendment violations to be a big deal. While the resolution to this case remains to be seen, it is a good example of the nuanced ways universities may try to stifle a student's free speech rights.

The Lento Law Firm Helps Protect Students' Rights

Our Student Defense Team helps students nationwide litigate against their universities when their rights have been infringed upon. We also defend students who are facing discipline for allegedly violating their school's code of conduct. Whether the offense stems from behavior at a protest, or something else altogether, we have students' best interests at heart.

Any time you go before a school's disciplinary board or engage them in a legal dispute, be sure you have experienced legal representation by your side. To discuss the details of your case with the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team, contact us at 888-535-3686 or via our automated online form.