Posted on Jan 11th, 2010

Trial in TCC Case to Begin Tuesday

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas will be in court this week as it continues to defend the free speech rights of students at Fort Worth's Tarrant County College.

Trial begins Tuesday on the ACLU of Texas' challenge -- on behalf of students Clayton Smith and John Schwertz, Jr. -- to TCC's unconstitutional restrictions on campus speech.

John Schwertz (left) and Clayton Smith Case Documents — Plaintiff's Concluding Argument — TCC Complaint — Brief in Support of Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) — Motion for TRO — Clayton Smith Declaration — John Schwerz Declaration — Declaration of William Creeley, Director of Legal and Public Advocacy, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, www.thefire.org — Declaration of Daniel Crocker, Director for the Southwest Region, Students for Concealed Carry on Campus

The ACLU of Texas and cooperating attorney Karin Cagle filed suit against TCC in November, challenging TCC's policies and student handbook restricting speech to a small designated "free speech zone" at each TCC campus and prohibiting Smith and Schwertz from wearing empty holsters as part of a political protest. After U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means issued a temporary order to allow the two students' protest to go ahead as scheduled later in November, TCC partially revised its student policies. The ACLU of Texas amended its complaint challenging the new policies.

For a copy of TCC's amended answer, click here. To see TCC's revised student handbook, click here.

What: ACLU of Texas' challenge to unconstitutional restrictions on campus speech at TCC
When: Begins at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 12; resumes at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 13
Where: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, 501 W. 10th Street in Fort Worth