FIRE Fires Off Second Letter to PSC

Rick Outzen

10 hours ago

First Amendment

FIRE Sends Second Letter to PSC Over Censored Student Magazine

The free speech watchdog says Pensacola State College violated the First Amendment by blocking funding for Just Opposed because of its LGBTQ+ content—and is demanding the college restore the money.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression has sent a second letter to Pensacola State College, escalating its challenge to the college’s decision to block printing funds for Just Opposed, a student-designed arts and culture magazine that included coverage of LGBTQ+ issues. Read FIRE Second Letter to Pensacola State College, May 12, 2026

FIRE’s Student Press Freedom Initiative addressed the May 12 letter to Brenda Kelly, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, after concluding that PSC has largely ignored the concerns raised in FIRE’s initial May 1 letter.

“While a public school like PSC is not obligated to subsidize student First Amendment activity like campus publications, it may not deny those subsidies based on the publications’ viewpoints like it did here.”—FIRE

What FIRE Says Happened

According to FIRE, the college had planned to print Just Opposed—a magazine created by students in Dr. Marisa Mills’s classes—until administrators reviewed its content. English and Communications Department Head Mike Will wrote in an email to FIRE’s program officer on May 1: “Due to Florida legislation and the proposed content, PSC is prohibited from funding the printing of the magazine.”

FIRE says that email makes clear the funding denial was based on the articles’ viewpoints, not a neutral policy. The organization notes that a subsequent statement from PSC cited the number of campus publications as the reason for the denial, but calls that explanation a post-hoc justification contradicted by contemporaneous records.

FIRE also reported that students were told they could cut or edit stories that made “mention of LGBTQ” in order to get the magazine printed.

PSC’s Position

In her May 4 response to FIRE’s first letter, Kelly stated that Dr. Mills’s students completed their class assignment without any administrative intervention, and that the question of printing the magazine only arose after the coursework was finished. Kelly wrote that the printing was “optional, not required,” and maintained that Dr. Mills’s academic freedom was not violated.

FIRE accepted that framing on academic freedom—but said it does nothing to resolve the student press rights question.

FIRE’s core legal argument: A public college is not required to fund student publications, but once it chooses to do so, it cannot selectively withhold funding based on the viewpoints expressed. PSC’s decision to deny printing funds to Just Opposed because of its LGBTQ content, FIRE argues, crosses that constitutional line.

What FIRE Is Demanding

A substantive response from PSC no later than close of business May 18, 2026
Confirmation that PSC will restore funds to the publication
Confirmation that PSC will respect Just Opposed‘s press rights

The letter was signed by Dominic Coletti, Program Officer for Campus Rights Advocacy at FIRE, and copied to PSC President C. Edward Meadows and Department Head Mike Will.

Rick’s Blog has covered this story since PSC first blocked the magazine’s printing. PSC has not responded to requests for comment on FIRE’s second letter.

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