Bill terminating retaliation against journalism advisors now on Schwarzenegger's desk

Sacramento, Calif. — The California State Senate passed a bill August 5 that would protect journalism advisers and other teachers against retaliation by administrators because of student speech, but because of budget issues, the bill might not be signed or vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger until as late as the end of September.

The bill, S.B.1370, authored by Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), passed through the Senate 31-2 and the Assembly 72-1.
"I expect the Governor to sign this bill into law, as has consistently supported our efforts to make sure true freedom of the press is alive and well on our campuses," Yee said in a press release.

For more on this story, go to The Student Press Law Center

TSU whistleblowers awarded $540,000

Houston, Tex. - A jury awarded $540,000 to three former Texas Southern University student activists Thursday and let the school know that retaliation against whistle-blowers won't be tolerated.

"We wanted to send a message that this should not happen again — the violation of First Amendment rights and the false arrest," one juror said after the jury added $350,000 in punitive damages to the $190,000 they awarded the trio last week to compensate them for being kicked out of school and temporarily charged with a crime after helping uncover a financial scandal.

After deciding the extra damages Thursday afternoon, 10 jurors were grilled by the attorneys on their thoughts. Several said they were impressed by the young men. Juror Donnie Mathis hugged the three and said she was proud of them.

For more on this article, go to The Houston Chronicle

Texas Southern retaliated against student whistleblowers, jury finds

Houston, Tex. - Texas Southern University officials kicked out three students and had them arrested in retaliation for their public criticism of administrators, a federal jury decided Friday.

The jury of nine women and three men deliberated for 12 hours Thursday and Friday before unanimously accepting all the claims of William G. Hudson, Justin R. Jordan and Oliver J. Brown, who in 2005 sued the TSU regents, then-President Priscilla Slade and other university officials.

The former students were seeking at least $150,000 each and also sued to have their student disciplinary records purged.

Jurors awarded actual damages totaling nearly $200,000 for all three. The jury returns next week to decide on punitive damages, unless the opposing sides settle on that matter.

"At least someone stood up for us, and the jury stood up for us," said Brown.

For more on this story, go to The Houston Chronicle, and The Torch, the official blog of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.