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On January 20, the U.S. Supreme Court will be hearing oral arguments in Lanell Williams-Yulee v. The Florida Bar. At issue is whether a ban on solicitation of campaign donations by judicial candidates in state elections in Florida violates the First Amendment rights of the candidates. Does Florida have a compelling interest in imposing such a ban to preserve the appearance of impartiality of its judges? Is it necessary to ensure judicial independence and maintain public confidence in the judicial system? Does this ban on solicitation violate the First Amendment rights of candidates to engage in political speech and political activity? Does the soliciting of campaign donations involve core political speech? In a post-argument briefing, two First Amendment experts who filed amicus briefs in the case, along with the former Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court, will discuss these issues as well as the oral arguments conducted that morning before the Supreme Court. Moderating the panel will be a former FEC commissioner.

James Bopp, Jr. General Counsel, The James Madison Center for Free Speech

Robert Corn-Revere Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine

Justice Randall T. Shepard Former Chief Justice, Indiana Supreme Court

Manager, Election Law Reform Initiative and Senior Legal Fellow Read More

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Judicial Elections and the First Amendment: Williams-Yulee v. The Florida Bar

MARSHALL, MO -- Did a school violate a student's first amendment rights?

Loyal Grandstaff says he loves reading his Bible and decided to bring it to school before the Christmas break so he could read it during his free time, but the 7th grader says his teacher told him it wasn't allowed.

"I like to read my bible because it's a good book," he said.

The 12-year-old says he wasn't reading out loud and he says he wasn't sharing the Bible with his classmates.

"I was just reading, reading because I had free time. A time to do what I wanted to, so I just broke it out and read."

Was he bothering anybody while reading it?

"I shouldn't have been," he replied.

"I feel like it violated his freedom of religion but also his freedom of speech," said Loyal's father, Justin Grandstaff, who says he is trying to raise his children to honor God, work hard and do the right things.

He can't believe his son was banned from reading the Bible. "There's kids walking around disrespecting their teachers, kids walking around cussing and everything else and they're practically getting into no trouble at all."

Lance Tobin, the Principal at Bueker Middle School, says Bibles are not banned from the school, but he needs to look into the situation to get the details before he elaborates further.

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Student claims he was banned from reading the Bible in school

Marlon Wayans Beats Actor #39;s Lawsuit Over Offensive Tweet
Marlon Wayans has successfully defended a lawsuit over an allegedly racially insensitive tweet after a California judge took an expansive view of how the First Amendment covers the creative...

By: WochitGeneralNews

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Marlon Wayans Beats Actor's Lawsuit Over Offensive Tweet - Video

Will any of the 2016 presidential candidates mention the many colleges that widely censor students' free speech? Probably not. But at least a news analyst has followed the lead of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) in its essential crusade to bring an active First Amendment to college campuses.

An op-ed in last month's Wall Street Journal says:

"Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky famously postulated that the test of a free society is the ability to express opinions in the town square without fear of reprisal."

But dig this: "Most American colleges wouldn't pass that test, according to a new report by ... FIRE" ("Unfree Speech on Campus," The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 12).

The op-ed continues: "The foundation reports that 55 percent of the 437 colleges it surveyed (in 2014) maintain 'severely restrictive' policies that 'clearly and substantially prohibit protected speech.' They include 61 private schools and 180 public colleges.

"Incredibly, this represents progress from FIRE's survey seven years ago, when 75 percent of colleges maintained restrictive free speech codes."

If contempt for the First Amendment in much of American higher learning is to continue for another generation or more, what quality of emerging public officials and voters will we have?

But to show the liberation of expressive Americanism that has taken place, The Wall Street Journal emphasizes:

"Perhaps the biggest breakthrough for First Amendment advocates (in 2014) was a Virginia law that bars 'free-speech zones' on public campuses. As FIRE explains, free-speech zones are a common tool that administrators use to restrict demonstrations to remote areas of campus.

"Colorado Mesa University limits free speech to 'the concrete patio adjacent to the west door of the University Center.'"

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Sending your child to college: Will it be one for free speech?

Erwin Chemerinsky
Law professor Erwin Chemerinsky - Champion of the First Amendment Presentation - The Vanishing Wall Separating Church and State 2014 FFRF #39;s National Convention Los Angeles.

By: FFRForg

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Erwin Chemerinsky - Video