Judge Tells Newspapers They Can't Report On News About College Trip Since It Might Impact College Funding
from the that-whole-first-amendment-thing dept
Via Romenesko we learn that a judge in Wyoming has issued a temporary restraining order against two local newspapers, barring them from reporting about a trip by the local community college’s president to Costa Rica, saying that the report was stolen… and that publishing the info could cause the college to lose federal funding. At issue is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which prevents colleges from revealing private info about students (a good thing). But here it’s clearly being misused. Yes, the report may include some student info, but that should not, in any way, bar publishing a story about what happened. Furthermore, that the document was leaked shouldn’t bar publication either. If that were the case, there would never be any whistleblower stories out there, or stories like the one about the Pentagon Papers. Update: Well, that didn’t last long. The original order has been dissolved, though this now has helped bring much more attention to the original story.
Filed Under: college, first amendment, free speech, journalism, privacy, reporting, whistleblowing, wyoming
Comments on “Judge Tells Newspapers They Can't Report On News About College Trip Since It Might Impact College Funding”
This is where they should respond the way British newspapers do: publish a story about how they were blocked from publishing a story about the issue.
Re: Re:
well if that it aint the dogs balls..
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Wasn’t there already a case where a restraining order also prevented the target from saying anything about the restraining order? Wasn’t it in the UK?
Exactly how is this not a clear violation of freedom of the press?
Order Vacated
The order was vacated by a fed judge.
http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewswy/Judge.dissolves.order.2.1712784.html
Can’t wait to see what’s in the report.
Re: Order Vacated
Actually, the judge dissolving the order is the same judge who put the order in place.
I would have never read this report...
But you can bet I’m going to now.
I'd like to read the report as well.
Of course, you have to wait until tomorrow…
The proverbial rake
Long live the Streisand Effect…
No Wonder They Wanted This Supressed
Well, Streisand Effect notwithstanding, after reading the report I can see why the college wanted this suppressed. Someone comes off here just barely this side of an incompetent goofus. The story had/has legs anyway even without this foolishness. Now it can outrun Ussain Bolt!