At the University of Idaho, administrators can pass out condoms to prevent the spread of STDs but not to prevent pregnancy. Why? The University has adopted an extreme set of policies as part of an overzealous attempt to comply with an Idaho state bill banning the use of public funds for abortion—violating faculty free speech rights in the process.
Last week, the University of Idaho's General Counsel released a policy aimed at directing faculty and staff behavior following the enforcement of Idaho's "No Public Funds for Abortion Act." However, the policy appears to go beyond the requirements of Idaho law, instead banning faculty and staff from expressing opinions on the subject of abortion. The university's policy not only is unconstitutional but also shows how free speech is often on the chopping block when vague laws and nervous administrators collide.
