BUZZ
Key Takeaways
- University of Alabama students have filed a federal lawsuit against the school for defunding two magazines aimed at black and female readers, claiming their First Amendment rights were violated.
- The university justified the funding cuts by labeling the magazines as 'unlawful proxies' of discrimination, referring to a legal memo that does not pertain to student publications or First Amendment rights.
- The lawsuit argues that the university's actions reflect bias against the editorial perspectives of marginalized students and limits their access to essential resources and support.
Students at the University of Alabama filed a lawsuit against the school Monday after it pulled funding for two student magazines targeted toward black and female readers.
The federal lawsuit argues that the university unfairly censored the students, infringing on their First Amendment rights.
When pulling the funds, the school claimed the magazines were “unlawful proxies” for sex and race discrimination. It cited a July 2025 memorandum from Attorney General Pam Bondi on unlawful discrimination in federally funded programs, according to the lawsuit.
However, the students argue the memo does not mention student-run or university-funded publications. It also does not discuss students’ First Amendment rights or the university’s constitutional obligation to avoid viewpoint discrimination in such forums, the lawsuit states.
“UA administrators disfavor their editorial perspectives related to race and gender,” the lawsuit states.
A student plaintiff said the magazines, Nineteen Fifty-Six and Alice, gave “marginalized students … access to the same resources and support that other publications have,” according to Legal Defense Fund.
“The ability to create and contribute to spaces that amplify the voices of college students who hold identities that are typically not reflected in campus media is not only important but necessary work,” she said.
LDF is representing the students alongside ACLU of Alabama and Southern Poverty Law Center.
LDF Assistant Counsel Avatara Smith-Carrington called the suspension of the publications “discriminatory and unconstitutional” in a news release.
“The First Amendment protects the rights of students to write, publish, and engage in dialogue about the issues that shape their lives, free from viewpoint discrimination. Silencing these students sends a troubling message that certain student voices and experiences don’t belong on campus,” she wrote.
Antonio Ingram, a senior counsel for the legal group, noted that both publications were open to all students on campus, according to Alabama Reflector.
University of Alabama spokesman Alex House told the Associated Press that the school will not comment on the case.
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression spokeswoman Marie McMullan previously told The College Fix, “When a university bases its decision to kill off a student publication because of what it expresses, that causes a constitutional problem.”
Earlier this month, students relaunched the magazines under new names. They are privately funded and independent of the university, The Fix reported.
The magazine Sixty-Three, formerly Nineteen Fifty-Six, is targeted toward black students with an all-black editorial team. Selene, formerly Alice, is created by and for women.
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