Texas A&M Launches Hostile Takeover of Student Paper

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Sent: Fri, Feb 18, 2022 2:15 p.m.
Subject: Texas A&M Launches Hostile Takeover of Student Paper

FIRE's Student Press Freedom Initiative is filing open records requests after Texas A&M unilaterally cancelled the print edition of The Battalion student newspaper. View in browser Texas A&M spins hostile takeover of student paper as part of journalism program reboot Last week, TAMU administrators told the university's independent student newspaper, The Battalion, that they'd need to stop their weekly print editions and move fully online, effective immediately. After an initial outcry, TAMU's president backtracked in a sunny statement late last week, touting the move as part of her personal vision for "a state-of-the-art journalism degree program" that includes bringing The Battalion under the journalism department's purview.  Real journalism requires not wonderment or visions, but facts and transparency. 'New' justifications for censorship are never really new Former ACLU president Nadine Strossen and FIRE President and CEO Greg Lukianoff discuss how "new" justifications for censorship are never really new. Freedom of speech has been challenged and championed in every generation, every kind of political system, and every culture. Not all 'anti-CRT' bills are created equal: Differences in Florida and Mississippi bills show how legislatures can avoid constitutional pitfalls Last month, FIRE wrote about the wave of bills that, if passed, will regulate how race and sex are addressed in K-12 education and on college campuses. Unfortunately, several of these bills, which are often described as opposing critical race theory, or CRT, are quickly advancing through legislatures despite containing unconstitutional provisions.  Emerson College triples down on censorship, derecognizing TPUSA chapter after publicly denouncing its 'China Kinda Sus' stickers  Emerson's treatment of TPUSA is deeply shameful for an institution of higher education that claims to uphold free expression. Emerson is derecognizing the group because they don't have a faculty advisor, but the administration's vocal condemnation of TPUSA has chilled faculty and staff who might otherwise have been interested in advising the organization even if they do not support its views. This callous indifference to the rights of TPUSA's members renders Emerson's promises of freedom of expression fleeting at best, leaving a stain on a school whose motto pledges to honor "Expression Necessary to Evolution." Upcoming Events Overcoming Self-Censorship in Student Media: A Discussion - Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 4:00 p.m. EDT Have you ever found yourself self-censoring when you report on campus issues, or concerned about how covering sensitive stories can affect your publication's status and access? Join FIRE's Student Press Freedom Initiative and the Student Press Law Center for a virtual discussion of how student journalists and faculty advisors can combat self-censorship on campus. Register for this event.  Can I Publish This? Conducting a Self-Directed Pre-Publication Review and Keeping Yourself Out of Legal Trouble - Feb. 24, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. EDT Libel? Privacy? Intellectual property?! When you're producing a publication, there are so many legal risks to keep in mind. But never fear! We'll share tips and tricks for reviewing your content that will keep you out of the courtroom and in the newsroom. Register for this event. In other news FIRE's 2021 Free Speech Essay Contest winners Nebraska lawmakers: Protect student rights by passing these two bills  Hawaii considers 'New Voices' legislation as Senate version clears first legislative hurdles