Suit Challenging Yuba Community College's Speech Rules Settled

Alliance Defense Fund yesterday announced a the filing of a consent order (full text) in Dozier v. Members of the Board of Governors, Yuba College District, (ED CA, Jan. 26, 2009). In the case, a college student challenged campus rules and permit requirements that limited his ability to preach and hand out gospel tracts in outdoor areas of the campus of California's Yuba Community College. (See prior posting.) Under the settlement, the college has implemented revised procedures and has agreed not to enforce prior rules that limited free speech activities on campus to specific days and hours, designated the campus as a nonpublic forum, and required a permit and registration of materials prior to distribution. The school also eliminated its former harassment policy.