San Francisco College Changes Speaker Rules In Settlement of Jews for Jesus Case

A consent judgment (full text) has been issued in Jews for Jesus, Inc. v. City College of San Francisco, (ND CA, April 15, 2009). The settlement grew out of a lawsuit challenging the college's requirement that speakers and those handing out flyers obtain a permit. Plaintiff, an employee of Jews for Jesus, was arrested for repeatedly handing out literature on campus without a permit. The court had denied a preliminary injunction in the case in January, finding that rule changes made the 1st Amendment challenge moot. (Full text of decision). This week's settlement provides that the college will adopt those changes that apparently have already been made in its rules. They allow individuals to speak and distribute literature in designated areas by merely notifying the student activities office of their presence on campus. Yesterday's Christian Post , as well as an ADF release, report on the case.