Furumoto v. Lyman
United States District Court for the Northern District of California
362 F. Supp. 1267 (1973)
Facts
On January 18, 1972, 15 people, some of whom were students at Stanford University (the students) (plaintiffs), entered a classroom on the Stanford campus where a quiz on electrical engineering was being given to a class by Professor William Shockley. The students’ purpose in entering the classroom was to confront Shockley regarding what they considered to be his racist view of genetics and demand that he debate a man named Cedric Clark. Shockley asked the students to leave, but they refused. One of the students read a statement, while another argued with Shockley. The situation lasted approximately 30 minutes, after which the students left the classroom. The students’ actions prevented those in Shockley’s electrical engineering class from taking the quiz as scheduled. The students were charged by the university in writing with disrupting a university function or activity pursuant to the university’s Policy on Campus Disruption. A hearing officer found that the students had knowingly intruded into the class, and the university president, Lyman (defendant), suspended the students indefinitely from Stanford. The students filed a lawsuit, alleging that their constitutional rights had been violated.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Renfrew, J.)
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