FARMINGTON – A program on free speech will be held in observation of national Constitution Day 2008 at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the University of Maine at Farmington. Held in Thomas Auditorium in UMF’s Preble/Ricker Hall, the program is free and open to the public.

Local attorneys Woody Hanstein and Paul Mills will discuss the impact of four U.S. Supreme Court cases dealing with free speech. The program is titled, “Speaking of Speech: A Constitution Day Forum on Four Free Speech Constitutional Controversies.”

Moderated by Jim Melcher, UMF associate professor of political science, this event will present four cases acted upon by the court involving the protection of freedom of speech as guaranteed by the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Questions considered by the court included:

• Can schools punish for inappropriate speech outside of school? (Morse v. Frederick, 2007);

• Can the national government take away money from colleges that restrict military recruiters, without violating the colleges’ free speech rights? (Rumsfield v. FAIR, 2006);

• How far can government go in restricting free speech rights outside of abortion clinics? (Hill v. Colorado, 2000); and

• Can the government punish broadcasters who allow “dirty words” to go out over their airwaves? (FCC v. Pacifica Radio Foundation, 1978)

Questions will be taken from the audience.

Previously known as Citizenship Day, Constitution Day was created by Congress in 2004. The federal holiday was revised to recognize not only those who have become U.S. citizens, but also the ratification of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787.

The act mandates that all publicly funded educational institutions provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution on that day.

UMF’s Constitution Day event is sponsored by the UMF Provost’s Office, Gold Leaf Institute, the UMF Diversity Club and the UMF Political Science Club and the Pre-law Program.