Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
The decision that I told you about Wednesday was just handed down and it's an important victory for student rights. From the FIRE website:
ATLANTA, February 1, 2013—A federal jury today found former Valdosta State University (VSU) President Ronald M. Zaccari personally liable for $50,000 for violating the due process rights of former student Hayden Barnes in the case of Barnes v. Zaccari. In May 2007, Zaccari expelled Barnes for peacefully protesting Zaccari's plan to construct two parking garages on campus, calling a collage posted by Barnes on his personal Facebook page a "threatening document" and labeling Barnes a "clear and present danger" to VSU. Barnes first came to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help in October 2007.
And that is before the attorneys fees for the five-year-legal odyssey have been assessed. I will be writing more about the special significance of this case in the next few days.
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Comments:
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Congratulations on the win. May many more follow.
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Thank you. Piercing "qualified immunity" is crucial to the fight against speech codes as well.
Jul '11
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Congratulations to your efforts, Greg!
Thanks for being there for these kids.
Mar '11
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Breaking down speech codes, one judgment at a time. Well done.
Aug '10
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Awesome - Looking forward to seeing Zaccari's name plastered all over my news feeds.
Apr '11
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Take them down a peg!
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
I'm with Jack, Greg: You and your colleagues at FIRE deserve our congratulations--and gratitude. Sticking with a case for five years? That took resources--and guts. Well done.
Feb '11
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Excellent news, good work!
And also...if this university administrator exceeded his delegated authority so blatantly that he was effectively acting as an individual, rather than as an officer of an institution....which is what this court decision would seem to imply...doesn't that suggest that the money spent by the State of Georgia in defending this case should be treated as taxable compensation to Zaccari?
Sep '10
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Terrific news! Way to go Greg and FIRE!
May '10
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
"Personally liable" is wonderful news.
Mar '12
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Great win, Greg. Congratulations and more power to you. Please keep us posted here at Ricochet on the final tally including legal fees and on the next big cases in your sites.
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Will do!
Jul '10
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
I am thrilled to hear this.
But I can't help but wonder where the money will come from. The asshat lost and will have to come up with 50 Large, but what of the attorney fees. ?Does he have those kinds of resources.
Because I would love to see him stripped of all. This kind of arrogance deserves serious penalty. Take his home, his cars, his jewelry, his retirement cash, his investments - everything you can find. You may not be able to send him to jail, but hopefully you will make it so he wishes he were going to jail.
Feb '11
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
This is the only time I recall a University President being held personally liable for anything.
Fine work!
Jun '11
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
Administrators everywhere just had to change their shorts.
Jun '12
Re: Breaking: Jury Finds Former College President Personally Liable in Victory for Student Rights
From my wife and I, this just warms our hearts! Thank you Greg for your wonderful organization!