Two writers for “The Breeze” student publication were charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct, and non-compliance at Hillside Hall, an on-campus dormitory of James Madison University , by the Office of Judicial Affairs. The writers simply wanted to interview some students about a story that had been going around involving a “peeping Tom”. It is their right to pursue this information within legal boundaries
The two journalists simply went to the residence hall to talk to students about the “peeping Tom” incident that had occurred recently. The journalists followed the necessary guidelines so that they would be allowed into the hall and could continue their investigation within the required rules of the university residence hall manual.
One of the interviewers questioned the students outside of the hall, and then requested that they accompany her inside. Later, a resident advisor asked the reporter to leave. The interviewer then brought in her partner, and eventually a resident they were familiar with to clear up any misunderstandings, but the residence hall director still threatened to call the police.
This is a very blatant disregard for freedom of the press. The student journalists behaved within the rules and boundaries set by the Resident Advisors of the dormitory. The RAs had no right to threaten the students with a police call. The reporters were not doing anything wrong and they were following the rules of the residency hall manual.
The RA had no reason to crack down on the students for conducting interviews.
The RA was attempting to censor the journalists to prevent the dormitory from looking bad, so they sought to scare the students away with an unjustified threat of incarceration. This is a major violation of the first amendment and the right to freedom of the press.
Nick Hobbs
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