A proposal at the Peralta Colleges in the East Bay to establish “free speech zones” has evoked Orwellian visions of the campuses' futures. Yet others see the proposal as a necessary procedure to protect free speech. Speakers would be limited to the 150 foot x 150 foot main quad at Laney College, as well as the outdoor quads at College of Alameda and Merritt College, and the Student Lounge on the fifth floor at Berkeley City College. Fliers could no longer be posted onto windows and walls, and would be restricted to bulletin boards. All fliers would also require an English translation.

The proposal first saw the light at a town hall meeting at Laney College on May 12th. The proposal is the result of ongoing district litigation with an anti-abortion group that was removed from COA in 2008, according to Peralta General Counsel Thuy Nguyen, who said she expected a decision on the case soon. The tone of the town hall quickly changed when an attorney representing the faculty union called the proposal "an abomination." "Martin Luther King would have been in violation of this (proposal) the moment he spoke," said Bob Bezemek, legal counsel for the Peralta Federation of Teachers, who has threatened to sue if the procedure is implemented.

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