Capital Soup

Florida News Straight From the Source

You are here: Home / Archives for First Amendment

First Amendment

Tim Wu to Present ‘Is First Amendment Obsolete?’ at Stetson University

Posted on

Author of Net Neutrality theory explores role of universities in free speech

Stetson University will host Tim Wu, author, policy advocate, and professor at Columbia Law School, who will present, “Is the First Amendment Obsolete: Free Speech, the Internet and the University.” Best known for developing the theory of Net Neutrality, Wu also directs the Poliak Center for the study of First Amendment Issues at Columbia Journalism School.

Wu’s speech will be Wednesday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m., at Lee Chapel in Elizabeth Hall, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, 32723. The presentation is one in a series of speeches for Stetson University’s Social Justice Lecture Series.

In addition to his work on Net Neutrality, Wu writes about private power, free speech, copyright, and antitrust. In 2014, he ran as the progressive Democrat candidate for lieutenant governor of New York. His award-winning book The Master Switch (2010) has won wide recognition.

Wu is a contributing writer at NewYorker.com and a former contributing editor at The New Republic. In 2013, National Law Journal included him in “America’s 100 Most Influential Lawyers,” and in 2014 and 2015, he was named to the “Politico 50.” He formerly wrote for Slate, where he won the Lowell Thomas Gold medal for Travel Journalism. In 2015, he was appointed to the Executive Staff of the Office of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman as a senior enforcement counsel and special advisor.

National Experts Discuss First Amendment in a New Media Environment

Posted on

MEDIA ADVISORY

The recent dawn of technology and the subsequent rise of new media could not have been foreseen by the drafters of the First Amendment when they included freedom of speech and press as a fundamental right. However, with technology at society’s fingertips, the information that is now shared has blurred the lines between fact and fiction. Popular platforms, which millions of users log on to everyday, have drastically altered the way we communicate and share news. This year, the Poucher Lecture’s distinguished experts will discuss the implications of the first amendment in this new media environment.
“First Amendment in a New Media Environment” will be held Thursday, November 9, at 6:00 p.m. at the University of Florida Levin College of Law in the Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom (Room 180), located at 309 Village Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611. The lecture is free and open to the public.
The Allen L. Poucher Legal Education Series was endowed by Betty K. Poucher, Elizabeth Poucher Reynolds, and Allen L. Poucher, Jr. in honor of Allen L. Poucher Senior. A humanitarian who lived a life dedicated to service, Allen L. Poucher Sr. graduated from UF Law in 1942 and practiced law for more than 60 years. The Poucher Legal Education Series seeks to provide a venue for prominent legal, political, and business leaders to discuss important issues facing our nation and world today. It has featured distinguished panelists such as former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, five former Florida governors, a former CIA spy, a four-star general, and numerous legal scholars.
Distinguished Speakers
Mary Anne Franks, Professor at the University of Miami School of Law, is recognized as a leading thinker on the intersection between privacy, civil rights, technology, and constitutional law. Professor Franks is the Vice-President and Legislative & Tech Policy Director of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating online abuse and discrimination.
Amy Gajda, a former journalist, is a professor at Tulane University Law School and is recognized internationally for her expertise in media law and privacy law. Professor Gajda is the author of The First Amendment Bubble: How Privacy and Paparazzi Threaten a Free Press.
Gregg Thomas, an attorney at Thomas & LoCicero in Tampa, is one of the country’s leading media and First Amendment lawyers. Thomas has argued and won numerous high-profile cases on behalf of newspapers, television stations, movie producers, and other media entities.
Moderator
Jon Mills is Dean Emeritus, Professor of Law, and Director of Center for Governmental Responsibility at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Professor Mills is a globally recognized expert in privacy and cyber security issues.
For more details or to submit a question to the panelists, please visit the Florida Law Review’s website or contact the office at 352-273-0670.

ACLU Statement on Approval of Religious Freedom Bill

Posted on

The Florida Legislature today passed SB 436, a bill purporting to support religious freedom.

Responding to the bill, ACLU of Florida Legislative Counsel Kara Gross stated:

“The ACLU has a long history of fighting to protect and defend religious freedom and will continue to do so vigorously, but religious freedom does not mean the right to discriminate against others and treat others less humanely.

“The First Amendment’s Establishment Clause prohibits public schools from endorsing or encouraging any individual religion in any way.  This bill is troublesome because it allows teachers, administrators, and other adults in positions of power, to proselytize and otherwise advance their religious beliefs during the school day.  Under this bill, any student or school employee not in the majority religion at that school is in danger of being further isolated, marginalized, and silenced due to activities championed by others in the majority. Additionally, this bill would allow teachers and other school personnel to discriminate against LGBTQ students under the guise of religious expression.  Religious education of children is the responsibility of parents and not the public schools.

“The Constitution prevents the government from suppressing groups with minority or unpopular beliefs and values.  We fear this legislation, as written, could result in such suppression. Additionally, this bill will almost certainly expose school districts and school personnel to potential litigation.”