Keith Pridgen, Steven Pridgen Win Free Speech Battle Over Facebook Post

CP  |  Posted: 05/09/2012 1:48 pm Updated: 05/09/2012 1:48 pm

CALGARY -- Alberta's highest court is siding with two University of Calgary students who say their charter rights were violated when the school punished them for criticizing a professor on Facebook.

The Court of Appeal upheld Wednesday a lower court ruling that found the Charter of Rights do apply when universities are meting out discipline to students.

The case involved twin brothers, Keith and Steven Pridgen, who in 2007 posted critical remarks in a Facebook group devoted to complaints about one of their professors.

The university found the brothers guilty of non-academic misconduct and put them on probation, but they appealed to the courts, arguing they had a right to free speech.

When a judge agreed with the brothers, the university took the matter to the next level, arguing that its students don't have the right to freedom of expression because the charter does not apply to universities.

The three judges on the appeals panel all agreed to dismiss the appeal, and each of the judges wrote their own reasons for arriving at their decision.

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06:58 PM on 05/09/2012
God i hope the girl with the pickles was hot.
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CarlyQ
Without followers, evil cannot spread.
08:50 PM on 05/09/2012
It was a man.
09:55 PM on 05/09/2012
Excuse me while i throw up.
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Bushwhacked
Stay active, informed and VOTE in 2014!
05:58 PM on 05/09/2012
Leave facebook. You can do it.
GreatGrand mama
We must make our choices with care
08:12 PM on 05/09/2012
I dropped facebook shortly after I signed up... I got about 80 emails the next 2 days.. asking for some stupid animal or veggie they needed for a game..
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
TisKishnsing
Brutal logic, unexpected honesty
05:07 PM on 05/09/2012
what?!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
x46
04:12 PM on 05/09/2012
Freedom of expression Charter Rights do not apply at universities? Since when? Whatever happened to university being a place where differing ideas are expressed?
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single malt
I can't spell. I blame msn.
07:07 PM on 05/09/2012
It is crazy isn't it.. I always felt university is where you learn to develop your own voice. Freedom of expression was an integral part of the learning process.
GreatGrand mama
We must make our choices with care
08:13 PM on 05/09/2012
this is canadian. univ's... maybe a different set of rules and regs????