Missouri Bill Would Block Censorship of Student Reporters

A lawmaker says his bill to limit censorship was spurred by a confrontation in November between a University of Missouri staffer and a student videographer during campus protests.

The bill by Republican Rep. Elijah Haahr, of Springfield, would prohibit public K-12 schools and colleges from blocking reporting in school-sponsored media. Exceptions include reporting that is slanderous, libelous or otherwise breaks laws.

Haahr says he was partly motivated by a run-in between assistant communications professor Melissa Click and a student videographer.

Student photographer Tim Tai, who was confronted by another university employee during the protests, will testify Monday during a hearing.

The journalists covered protests at the Columbia campus over what some saw as university leadership's indifference to racial issues.