Asked & Answered

Q: The principal of my public high school has recently banned the use of “tails” on campus. “Tails” are a clothing accessory worn by those who identify with “furry” culture. Our tails are a form of expression, a way of saying “Hey, we’re furries and we’re proud. This tail represents my personality shape-wise and color-wise. There are many like it, but this one is mine.” Is my tail covered by the First Amendment? It is an

Q:I have continually requested the agenda labor exemption code be corrected for a closed session in our School District. The full exemption code is 54957.6(a), however they continue to list only 54957, leaving out the .6(a) portion. I believe accuracy would be better for transparency, and I want it to be legal as well. How can I ensure the school district employs the complete exemption code? [su_button url=”https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/legal-hotline” target=”blank” style=”flat” background=”#0e1685″ color=”#ffffff” size=”5″ wide=”yes” center=”yes” radius=”0″

Q: I am an elected board member of my local Fire Protection District. I have requested information from our fire chief (e.g. audio/video recording of board meetings, copies of invoices) and I have been told that as a board member I must follow different rules then the public. I have been told I must make my request in writing to the board chair, and then he would put it on next month’s agenda for discussion. So

Q: We’re trying to request the applications of taxicab applicants to see if the regulatory body is discriminating. The public agency has redacted most of the applications for fear of a misdemeanor in releasing “convictions,” (e.g. the agency maintains its own allegations of infractions and the applicants voluntarily submitted their place of doing business and their DMV record.) We understand that law enforcement was required to release convictions of concealed weapon permit holders. CBS, Inc.

Q: I have run into some First Amendment issues on my college campus. My participation in basic First Amendment activity has resulted in threats of disciplinary action and I also have been denied access to public records. Do First Amendment rights apply to college campuses? A: The First Amendment generally applies only to restrictions on speech by government actors; accordingly, the following analysis applies only to public schools, not private institutions. Campus speech involves all