Opinion ID: 2418950
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Plaintiffs' Lawsuit and the District Court's Judgment

Text: On June 3, 2005, plaintiffs filed suit alleging violations of their rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. On March 23, 2009, the District Court granted partial summary judgment in favor of defendants. In its Memorandum Decision and Order, the District Court held that The IHS Tattler qualified as a limited public forum, and, therefore, that its contents were subject to reasonable and viewpoint neutral restrictions. See Hotel Emps. & Rest. Emps. Union Local 100 v. N.Y.C. Dep't of Parks & Rec., 311 F.3d 534, 545-46 (2d Cir.2002). Next, the Court held, pursuant to Fraser and Hazelwood, that ICSD's refusal to publish a sexually explicit cartoon in The IHS Tattler was reasonable and viewpoint-neutral because the cartoon was lewd and conflicted with the school's legitimate pedagogical concerns. Third, the Court held, pursuant to Tinker, 393 U.S. at 506, 89 S.Ct. 733, that ICSD's refusal to distribute The March Issue was reasonable and viewpoint-neutral because distribution of the cartoon would materially and substantially disrupt the classwork and discipline of the school. Finally, the District Court denied summary judgment in favor of defendants with respect to plaintiffs' claims for a declaratory judgment and for an injunction against enforcement of the Guidelines, because defendants presented only cursory arguments in favor of the Guidelines, which the Court deemed inadequate to demonstrate that the defendants were entitled to judgment on that question as a matter of law. This appeal followed. [3]