Calling out what they see as an infringement on free speech, students at the University of Texas campuses at Austin and Dallas have taken their fight to federal court, challenging a new state law that bans campus expressions after hours that had previously been allowed.
They’re filing a suit against new law Senate Bill 2972 that bans expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. The main prohibitions of this law are amplified sound, percussion instruments, and invited speakers during the final two weeks of academic terms. These students, backed by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), argue the law violates their constitutional rights.
FIRE claims students could be punished for everything from wearing politically themed clothing to attending candlelight vigils or celebrating a football win. “The First Amendment doesn’t set when the sun goes down,” said FIRE attorney JT Morris…