To Whom It May Concern,
American journalism has always been important. From the production of an adversarial press to
argue with government functions to our modern-day journalism of blogging and social media,
American journalism remains an integral part of our society to encourage a free and robust
debate among American citizens.
Our Founding Fathers thought journalism was important, and we should too. They clearly state
in the First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or
the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of
grievances.”
Today, our system is being threatened, and the rights of student journalists are in jeopardy.
Currently in contention is the case of Papish v. Board of Curators of the University of Missouri.
In basic summarization, the case threatens the rights of a student journalist to publish and
distribute material considered “obscene” in a campus-approved publication while on the grounds.
Papish is a member of the Free Press Underground, which is a non-profit newspaper published
by the Columbia Free Press Corporation under Missouri statute distributing material on general
interest topics and public affairs. A February edition of the publication was brought to the
University’s attention, and it later ruled the material as “indecent,” eventually choosing to
dismiss Papish, a graduate student at the University of Missouri, from campus.
Papish filed suit to declare the dismissal action unconstitutional under the First and Fourteenth
Amendments. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri denied Papish relief,
and she sought appeal in the Eighth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals. This is
currently where the case stands, awaiting a decision.
We are encouraging the court to support the rights of student journalists, and we hope you will
join us in putting pressure on the Papish decision to be made fairly.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best,
#PressureOnPapish