The University of Illinois has become the target of lawsuit claiming the school has violated its students’ free-speech rights.
Virginia-based Speech First filed the lawsuit last week against Illinois in U.S. District Court in Urbana. The News-Gazette in Champaign reports the lawsuit accuses the university of squelching free speech by requiring “prior approval” for posting leaflets. It also claims the university uses practices, including bias response teams that intimidate students into silence.
The lawsuit indicates it was filed following complaints by students it didn’t identify.
Illinois spokeswoman Robin Kaler said the university hasn’t received official notice of the lawsuit and will respond appropriately when it does.
