Arizona Campus Free Speech Case

In a promotional video made by Arizona State University (ASU), the school says that it “respects and expects free speech on all of its campuses” and is committed to “fostering the free exchange of ideas.” A case involving a student recently enrolled there raises some questions about how well the free-speech policy is implemented.

In March 2022, Tim Tizon, then an ASU student, was arrested and convicted of trespassing after he had been distributing copies of the Constitution to other students from a table he set up on campus. On January 26, the Liberty Justice Center (LJC), the national law firm that litigated the landmark Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME, and whose stated aim is to “fight to protect government employees, students, families, and other Americans whose constitutional rights have been violated,” filed an appeal on his behalf.

In a promotional video made by Arizona State University (ASU), the school says that it “respects and expects free speech on all of its campuses” and is committed to “fostering the free exchange of ideas.” A case involving a student recently enrolled there raises some questions about how well the free-speech policy is implemented.

In March 2022, Tim Tizon, then an ASU student, was arrested and convicted of trespassing after he had been distributing copies of the Constitution to other students from a table he set up on campus. On January 26, the Liberty Justice Center (LJC), the national law firm that litigated the landmark Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME, and whose stated aim is to “fight to protect government employees, students, families, and other Americans whose constitutional rights have been violated,” filed an appeal on his behalf.