Student Suing DMACC Ankeny Campus Over Free Speech Policy

A Des Moines Area Community College student has filed a federal lawsuit against the college, claiming school policies are infringing on his right to free speech.

The Des Moines Register reports Jacob Dagel is challenging the college's policy on handing out flyers, saying location restrictions and a rule requiring a 10-day notice are violating his rights.

The papers were filed in federal court Monday, the article said.

Dagel says he was blocked by a campus security official when he attempted to hand out flyers on March 28 opposing DMACC’s decision to subsidize student tickets to an April 3 anti-bullying conference, the newspaper reported. The event included discussions that referenced the Bible and the “Big Bad Right Wing.”

According to the lawsuit, DMACC’s policy is to restrict campus leafleting to a “Speech Zone” – a hallway with tables and chairs where organizations who register in advance are allowed to pass information to students, the article said.

The Register has also obtained a copy of the lawsuit.