Purpose A.
Expressive activities are defined as those activities protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article 1, Section 4 of the Alabama Constitution of 1901, including any lawful verbal, written or electronic communication of ideas; lawful forms of peaceful assembly, protests, and speeches; distributing literature; carrying signs; and circulating petitions. Outdoor areas where expressive activities are not allowed include: areas of restricted access as identified by the College, which may include but are not limited to areas adjacent to classrooms or places of residence; athletic facilities; areas being used as outdoor classrooms or educational training; or areas where access is restricted due to operational or safety protocols, as well as energy or maintenance control areas. C. D. Except for Section II.H. below, this policy does not apply to expressive activities that take place in indoor areas of College property including, but not limited to, classrooms or classroom buildings; interior hallways and breezeways; administrative buildings or offices; auditoriums; performing arts venues; events centers; and recreational facilities. Expressive activities in these areas are governed by College policies related to academic freedom, facilities use, and other applicable policies and protocols. Members of the Campus Community who engage in expressive activities in permitted outdoor areas may do so freely, spontaneously, and contemporaneously as long as the conduct is lawful, in accordance with laws applicable to conduct and activities on Lawson State Community College property, and does not materially and substantially disrupt the functioning of the College or infringe upon the rights of others to engage in expressive activities. E. F. Conduct that may materially and substantially disrupt the functioning of Lawson State Community College or infringe upon the rights of others to engage in expressive activities may include:
A primary function of Lawson State Community College is the discovery, improvement, transmission, and dissemination of knowledge by means of research, teaching, discussion, and debate, and that to fulfill that function, Lawson State Community College will strive to ensure the fullest degree possible of intellectual freedom and free expression. It is not the proper role of Lawson State Community College to shield individuals from speech protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, including without limitation, ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or offensive. B. C. Students, administrators, faculty, and staff are free to take positions on public controversies and to engage in protected expressive activity in outdoor areas of the campus, and to spontaneously and contemporaneously assemble, speak, and distribute literature. Lawson State Community College supports free association and will not deny a student organization any benefit or privilege available to any other organization based on the expression of the organization, including any requirement of the organization that the leaders or members of the organization affirm and adhere to an organization's sincerely held beliefs or statement of principles, comply with the organization's standard of conduct, or further the organization's mission or purpose, as defined by the student organization. D. E. Lawson State Community College will strive to remain neutral, as an institution, on the public policy controversies of the day, except for administrative decisions that are essential to the day-to-day functioning of the institution, and Lawson State Community College will not require students, faculty, or staff to publicly express a given view of a public controversy. Lawson State Community College prohibits all forms of harassment as defined in Act 2019-396, which includes expression so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies access to an educational opportunity or benefit provided by the College. F. II.Speech and Expression in Outdoor Areas, Invited Speakers, and Security. A. For purposes of this policy, the “Campus Community” includes Lawson State Community College’s students, administrators, faculty, and staff as well as the invited guests of the College and the College’s recognized student organizations (including organizations seeking recognition), administrators, faculty and staff. B. Members of the Campus Community shall be permitted to engage in expressive activities in outdoor areas of Lawson State Community College’s campus which enjoy general access during regular hours of College operation, subject to the limitations described below.
1. Obstruction of vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian, or other traffic;
2. Obstruction of entrances or exits to buildings or driveways or impeding entry or exit from any building or parking lot or vehicular path;
3. Violations of a state, federal or local law, regulation, or ordinance;
4. Threats to passersby or the use of fighting words, which are words that by their mere utterance inflict violence or would tend to incite a reasonable person to violence or other breach of the peace;
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