The Kennesaw State University chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (the chapter affiliate of Young America’s Foundation) filed a complaint in federal court Monday against administrators at Kennesaw State University over the school’s assessment of viewpoint-discriminatory security fees for the upcoming KSU Young Americans for Freedom lecture with Katie Pavlich.
University administrators are demonstrating their anti-conservative bias by claiming there is “controversy” surrounding Katie Pavlich‘s speech addressing media bias and fake news. The assessment of a security fee on these grounds amounts to an unconstitutional burden on student speech.
Students shouldn’t be punished because of the subjective perceptions of administrators or because other students on campus could react badly to a conservative speaking in a classroom setting.
“As a New York Times bestselling author, Fox News contributor, and Townhall editor, Katie Pavlich is clearly an expert in today’s media landscape,” said YAF Spokesman Spencer Brown. “To claim her take on the industry is somehow controversial is a transparent attempt to stifle conservative speech on Kennesaw State University’s campus. Treating Pavlich and her ideas as somehow dangerous is an affront to the open exchange of ideas that should be the trademark of higher education.”
The lawsuit also challenges KSU’s unconstitutional system for recognizing student organizations and discriminatory method of distributing student activities fees based on how an organization is ranked.
Despite the fact that all students at Kennesaw State pay fees into a general student fund, only students who are advancing the schools preferred viewpoints are able to access that money when granted a higher rank by administrators. The Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) chapter is ranked at the lowest level, while several leftist groups are ranked at the highest level, and therefore given priority access to funds and event space.
By dividing students into group classifications with differing rights, they are by default depriving students of equal rights.
Read more about the case in Townhall’s exclusive report on YAF’s lawsuit to hold Kennesaw State University accountable.
For further information or to cover this story contact YAF Spokesman Spencer Brown via phone (800-872-1776) or email (sbrown@yaf.org).