Lawsuit led to amendment of student conduct code

[pmp6nl]

California State University system to amend conduct code
By EVELYN NIEVES Associated Press Writer
News Fuze
Article Launched:03/03/2008 07:19:30 PM PST

SAN FRANCISCO—The California State University system has agreed to amend its student conduct code to settle a lawsuit by a conservative Christian legal group that argued that its written expectation that students be "civil" was vague and violated students' rights.

"Thousands of students throughout the Cal State system are now more free to speak without fear of punishment by agents of the government," David Hacker, a lawyer for the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom, said in a statement Monday.

The group's lawsuit against the 23-campus public university system was prompted by an anti-terrorism rally by College Republicans at San Francisco State University in 2006. At the rally, students stomped on signs with Hamas and Hezbollah flags displaying the name "Allah." Offended students complained that the acts violated the university's incivility code, prompting a formal investigation.

A panel eventually dismissed the charge. But the College Republicans challenged the word "civil" in the conduct code as too broad and selectively applied to Christian and conservative students.

In November, a federal judge in Oakland barred CSU from basing disciplinary proceedings on incivility while the lawsuit by the Alliance Defense Fund proceeded.

University officials said the settlement agreement and resulting amendment to the systemwide Standards of Student Conduct "merely clarify" the code. It makes clear that the statement of expected student behavior, which includes the word "civil," does not establish grounds for a student or student organization investigation or disciplinary charge, said Andrea Gunn, counsel for CSU.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8442305?nclick_check=1

How much of a difference will this really make?

[Sal Atticum]

I can see the sentiment on both sides ("Allah" being of importance to Muslim students, while the flags themselves representing Hamas and Hezbollah).  I'm not sure how I would react.

As far as "civil" goes, do they mean that "Christian and conservative students" are more likely to piss on another culture?  Because admitting that is rather funny.

For some reason, the Fighting Sioux issue pops into my head here.  We have people doing one thing and claiming it's for one reason, while the other group are offended for another reason that wasn't even considered by the first group.  There may be an article there...

[pmp6nl]

Definition is important.  Do you think something like this/similar to could have happened in ND/SD?