Student Banned from Handing Out Copies Of The Constitution on Constitution Day at Modesto Junior College

Robert Van Tuinen, a student at Modesto Junior College, says his rights under the First Amendment were violated when college police forced him to stop handing out copies of the Constitution outside the student center on Constitution Day.

In the video, officers can be seen ordering Van Tuinen to stop passing out the document.

“Don’t I have free speech, sir?” he asked, but was told he could either stop on his own accord or be forced to stop engaging in free speech.

Reportedly, he was directed to the campus "free speech zone" -- a tiny cement circle big enough for two people -- provided he scheduled his free speech in advance with college authorities.

The officer told him that “as a student on campus passing out anything whatsoever, you have to have permission through the Student Development office.” Apparently, that includes America's foundational legal document.

Robert Shibley, senior vice president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, called the move chilling.

“The video of Modesto Junior College police and administrators stubbornly denying a public college student’s right to freely pass out pamphlets to fellow students—copies of the Constitution, no less!—should send a chill down the spine of every American,” he wrote.

According to Shibley, the college is not alone in restricting the right to free speech.

"Worse, FIRE’s research shows that Modesto Junior College is hardly alone in its fear of free speech. In fact, one in six of America’s 400 largest and most prestigious colleges have ‘free speech zones’ limiting where speech can take place. This video brings to life the deeply depressing reality of the climate for free speech on campus,” he added.

According to Van Tuinen, it took less than 10 minutes for authorities to appear.

“Virtually everything that Modesto Junior College could do wrong, it did do wrong," Shibley added. "It sent police to enforce an unconstitutional rule, said that students could not freely distribute literature, placed a waiting period on free speech, produced an artificial scarcity of room for free speech with a tiny ‘free speech area,’ and limited the number of speakers on campus to two at a time. This was outrageous from start to finish. Every single person at Modesto responsible for enforcing this policy should have known better.”

School administrator Christine Serrano told Van Tuinen that he could either wait several days, or possibly schedule his free speech sometime in October.

The student protested, saying he wanted to pass out the Constitution on Constitution day, but Serrano dismissively said, “You really don’t need to keep going on.”

This video contains the relevant portions of Van Tuinen's experience. The three full, unedited videos taken by the students can be watched below:

Video 1: http://youtu.be/8Jvkm0kuTMI
Video 2: http://youtu.be/T-uvjBEYQbE
Video 3: http://youtu.be/gi9AXgIUXpA

Views: 216

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

Comment by ew_keane on September 29, 2013 at 11:56pm

Intellectual strieghtjackets ('free speech zone') at college?  I would not go to that college.

Comment by Ria on September 25, 2013 at 6:43pm

LOL....Funny but smart comment, Marklar! ;)

Comment by Marklar on September 24, 2013 at 11:40pm

I personally confine myself to a tiny free speech zone less than a single square foot in area. Unfortunately for some it has a horrible habit of following my feet wherever they roam.

Comment by Nobody Will Observe on September 24, 2013 at 2:11am

LoL, Beautiful!  Yes, he should have used more Common Sense  And stayed in a Free speech zone, only after filling out the appropriate forms of permission Ra Bert

Governments Hire Web Trolls to Sway Public Opinion

Comment by Just Bill on September 23, 2013 at 4:41pm

To quote Hillary, "what does it matter?" how far he was from the free speech zone ... the free speech zone itself is in violation of the right to free speech. I hope this gets to court somewhere ... and finds a conservative judge.

Comment by suzie on September 23, 2013 at 1:08pm
Set up an appointment for free speech ? In a free speech zone? What country is this? Did she say " apparently its constitution day? " well .. Wow!
Comment by Ragnarok on September 22, 2013 at 12:42pm

Cough cough land of the free????

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

Doc Vega posted a blog post

The Many Keys to Deadly Secrecy in our Government

We now know thanks to the legislation of FOIA access to federal documents and evidence and the…See More
2 hours ago
Less Prone favorited tjdavis's photo
22 hours ago
Less Prone favorited rlionhearted_3's photo
22 hours ago
John Miller commented on rlionhearted_3's photo
Thumbnail

Another incredibly Stupid!! What, no mirrors?

"Brutal post... not sure it’s helping anyone though."
yesterday
John Miller replied to cheeki kea's discussion Tartaria
"Tartaria: the empire that built half the world's cathedrals, then vanished because someone…"
yesterday
Burbia commented on rlionhearted_3's photo
Thumbnail

Another incredibly Stupid!! What, no mirrors?

"This movie portrayed plastic surgery as absurd. I guess the numbers in the real world are growing."
yesterday
Burbia commented on tjdavis's photo
Thumbnail

Redux

"Ah yes, General Jussitri Smolletkov. Good tongzhi. Good tongzhi."
yesterday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Unusual Discoveries and Headlines

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient tool dated to be 6,000 years old, but even more…See More
Monday
tjdavis posted a video

Inside Texas HOMELESS HELL – Even Cops Don't Dare Step In! - Documentary

In this powerful documentary, we explore the escalating Texas homeless crisis 2025, where cities and rural areas alike are witnessing a disturbing rise in th...
Monday
tjdavis posted a photo
Monday
John Miller replied to MAC's discussion BREAKING! UFO whistleblowers drop BOMBSHELL on D.C. | Redacted with Natali and Clayton Morris
"Crazy how these whistleblower stories are finally making it into bigger conversations. Makes you…"
Sunday
Burbia favorited tjdavis's blog post The Dems Love Their Demons
Sunday
John Miller commented on tjdavis's photo
Thumbnail

Comprehensive Coverage

"That car needs an exorcism, not an oil change."
Saturday
John Miller commented on tjdavis's blog post The Dems Love Their Demons
"If the Dems are dating demons, then that AI romance shoot was basically engagement photos."
Saturday
John Miller replied to cheeki kea's discussion Would-Be Trump Assassin Ryan Routh Gave Many Interviews with Mainstream Media
"Wouldn't be surprised if there's a whole lot more buried under the surface here."
Saturday
Less Prone favorited rlionhearted_3's photo
Saturday
Less Prone left a comment for John Miller
"Welcome John."
Saturday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

The Saga of Ape Canyon Revisited

 In the years that I’d written for the Plano Star Courier I got several invitations to go on…See More
Saturday
John Miller is now a member of 12160 Social Network
Saturday
Less Prone favorited tjdavis's photo
Saturday

© 2025   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted