Los Angeles City College: Administrators Threaten Student Journalists’ and Newspaper Adviser’s Rights

On May 2, the LACC music department chair forced a student journalist from The Collegian to leave a public concert. Music department staff also attempted to eject another Collegian reporter from the music building while the student took pictures on assignment. After The Collegian’s adviser, Rhonda Guess, publicly criticized LACC’s recent treatment of Collegian journalists, LACC president called Guess into a meeting to discuss months-old emails questioning administrators’ treatment of the journalism program. On June 1, FIRE wrote LACC urging the college to stop interfering with student journalists’ expressive rights and to drop any potential investigation of Guess.