Student Sues Georgia Gwinnett College Over Free Speech

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A Georgia Gwinnett College student is suing the institution in federal court, claiming that the school's policies curb his freedom to spread his religious faith.

The lawsuit, by Chike Uzuegbunam, was filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian organization that has been deemed "virulently anti-gay" by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

In the lawsuit, lawyers for the group claim that, in July, Uzuegbunam "sought to share his Christian faith peacefully" on the Lawrenceville campus, but was told by officials that he must ask for permission in advance to speak publicly and do so only at one of two "speech zones."

Even after he met those conditions, the suit alleges, GGC officials ordered him to stop because his speech amounted to disorderly conduct.

"The First Amendment guarantees every student’s freedom of speech and religion. Every public school — and especially a state college that is supposed to be the ‘marketplace of ideas’ — has the duty to protect and promote those freedoms," said ADF attorney Travis Barham in a news release.

"Students don't check their constitutionally protected free speech at the campus gate."

A spokeswoman for Georgia Gwinnett said Thursday that the school has not been officially notified of the lawsuit and doesn't comment on pending litigation.

According to the ADF, Uzuegbunam was handing out religious literature and speaking with others on the campus about his faith in a plaza outside the college library.

Officials told him he must request advance notice to do so, and must speak in one of two "small speech zones" during the 2-4 hours a day they are open.

In August, the group says, he was speaking and handing out literature at one of the speech zones when, after about 20 minutes, campus police arrived and told him to stop because they had received complaints.

The lawsuit claims that students speaking on non-religious issues on campus have been treated differently. It requests an immediate suspension of GGC's speech policies and a declaration that they violated the First and Fourteenth amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

The lawsuit names GGC President Stas Preczewski and other campus officials, including GGC police, as defendants.

Formerly known as the Alliance Defense Fund, Alliance Defending Freedom is a nonprofit organization based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The group specializes in pro-Christianity lawsuits on issues such as religious invocations at public events, religious displays on public property and allowing healthcare workers to refuse performing certain procedures or prescribing certain medications based on their faith.

The group has fought against same-sex marriage in a manner that led the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups,to refer to the organization as "virulently anti-gay."

Image via Shutterstock