CYPRESS, Texas - Lone Star College has six campuses across the Houston area, including the sprawling Cy-Fair campus on Barker Cypress Road.
That’s where a group called Young Conservatives of Texas claims it was essentially kicked out because of its views.
A lawsuit was filed this week on the campus chapter’s behalf by the Alliance Defending Freedom. That’s a group that concentrates on cases involving religious and conservative causes.
“Public colleges and universities are supposed to be the marketplace of ideas, but that marketplace can’t function if only administrator-approved ideas are allowed,” said ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer.
At issue is a claim that Lone Star de-recognized the Young Conservatives of Texas after it posted a video of an abortion debate held on campus. According to the lawsuit, a college-appointed sponsor quit, which is required for such a club.
“What their pleadings say is that they were forced off campus because of a system that was stacked against them,” said KHOU Legal Analyst Gerald Treece.
He says the conservative club has a classic First Amendment case if it can proved it was picked on because of what it represents.
“The school is going to say it doesn’t care what they’re saying -- you just have to have a faculty sponsor,” Treece said. “And, if that’s true, the school is in pretty good shape.”
Lone Star College doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
You can read more on the lawsuit here.