Iowa State University Students Win Federal Court Case Over Right to Print Pot-Themed T-Shirts – News

A federal court has ruled in favor of two Iowa State University students who attempted to print t-shirts with the school’s logo and a marijuana leaf in 2012. The shirts were originally produced to promote the University’s chapter of NORML, but became a symbol of campus free speech after pressure from state legislators led university officials to ban the graphic. 

According to the Des Moines Register, Paul Gerlich and Erin Furleigh, the students responsible for the NORML shirt, will now be able to not only print and distribute the clothing, but also seek financial damages from the school administrators found guilty of violating their First Amendment rights.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that ISU administrators, including former Senior Vice President Warren Madden, former Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Hill and director of ISU’s trademark office, Leesha Zimmerman, violated Gerlich and Furleigh’s right to free speech and can now be held personally responsible for damages. 

The t-shirts themselves had the words “ISU NORML” and a graphic of the university’s mascot, Cy the Cardinal, printed on the front, with the words…

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