Text of joint statement; SPLC article link

Here is the full text of the joint statement from the Coppola v. Larson settlement that reinstated Prof. Karen Bosley as Viking News adviser and resulted in a "First Amendment" statement that says Ocean County College "supports free speech" among other things.

Joint Statement - Coppola v. Larson


And here is an excerpt from an article on the Student Press Law Center Web site...

A college newspaper adviser removed from her position in December 2005 has been permanently reinstated as part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed by several students who claimed her removal was an act of censorship by intimidation.

Karen Bosley, who had served as adviser to the Viking News at Ocean County College for 35 years until she was removed, continues her lawsuit against the college for taking away journalism classes she had taught at the college. Bosley is also a previous board member of the Student Press Law Center.

According to an article published in the June 7 issue of the Viking News, the settlement states the college "supports the free speech rights of students and employees and a student press free from prior review, prior restraint, or censorship as well as recognizes all student media as limited public forums."

"I'm very happy with being restored as adviser and extremely happy with the First Amendment statement because it not only protects student journalists and student media workers, but also students in general," Bosley said.

Full story.