The
Clarion
SERVING THE BREVARD COLLEGE
Volume 73, Issue 19 COMMUNITY SINCE 1935
College bans distribution of underground zine
by Joseph Chilton
Editor in Chief
Margaret Anne Medley had
just finished distributing all 125
copies of “The Pupil’s Voice,”
a zine that she pubhshed with
the help of several other
students, when she was called
to Campus Life and told that
she would no longer be
allowed to distribute her
publication on campus.
The 12-page booklet,
featuring artwork, essays, and
poetry by 11 students, was
handed out on campus last
Thursday on Valentine’s Day.
Some of the content was
controversial, including a cover
photo featuring two students
with the words “F—” and
“Love” painted on their cheeks.
What's
Inside?
News 2
"She Loves Me" Preview.4
FoimYourOwnOpinion....5
Sports 6
The Stats Page 7
Arts and Life 8
Horoscopes 11
Classifieds 12
Askan Aspie 12
According to Dean of
Students Sue Yowell, the
publication was in violation of
the Student Handbook
because it was not affiliated
with any sanctioned campus
organization.
“We were concerned at what
appeared to be an unauthorized
student publication,” Yowell
said.
“I applaud the passion that
they have for their project, but
there are some policies that
you have got to abide by.”
Medley, who privately
funded the printing of the zine,
offered a different opinion on
the nature of the pamphlet.
“I personally handed out each
copy to people I knew. We were
not soliciting or anything like
that, these zines were gifts. I
don’t see any difference
between giving these out and
giving out Valentine’s Day
cards,” Medley said.
In Medley’s opinion, the
publication was not targeted
because of its being
unauthorized, but instead was
singled out because of its
content.
“”I feel that if all the poems
were about butterflies and
puppy dogs, we would not
have been called into that
office to have that
conversation,” Medley said.
“She basically told us that we
don’t have any rights at a
private institution.”
While
Yowell denies
that the
content was
the cause of
the
publication
being baimed,
she does
admit that the
offensive
nature of
some of the
zine’s subject
matter drew
attention to
the situation.
“The content
brought it to
people’s
attention and
students need
to be cautious
and know that
Due to IT issues. The Clarion
has been released one day
late. We apologize for this
inconvenience.
February 22, 2008
people don’t want to be
subjected to language that
could be considered
offensive,” Yowell said.
According to Political
Science professor Ralph
Hamlett, this type of
censorship should serve as a
rallying point to students.
“When we are told that we
don’t have any rights, students
should stand up and say
‘What rights don’t we have?’
and then demand those rights.
At a liberal arts institution
students should have input as
to what freedoms they do and
do not have,” Hamlett said.
Medley has expressed an
interest in continuing to
distribute the zine in the future,
a possibility that Dean Yowell
says would be baimed by the
College unless the publication
was to go through the process
of becoming a recognized
campus organization. That
process involves being
approved by the SGA and
having a faculty member agree
to serve as faculty advisor for
the zine.
According to Medley,
however, going through that
process would contradict the
principles of the zine.
“This is about not being part
of the system,” Medley said.
“The point of this is to give
students from all over campus,
English majors. Art majors,
athletes, or whatever, a chance
to express themselves without
having somebody edit it.”
M/as the zine's content offen
sive? Judge for yourself as we've
printed portions of the publica
tion on page 5.
rupil/s
Jnd^L-grourid:
Issue fl
The cover of an underground zine that drew the
attention of the College administration last week.