Letter to the Editor in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch published a Letter to the Editor by Charles L. Klotzer of University City. Klotzer is the founder of the St. Louis Journalism Review.

In his letter, Klotzer argues that the most important issue is the freedom of the press at Saint Louis University. We agree wholeheartedly. And the first person to stand up for the freedom of the University News is Avis Meyer.

Here’s Klotzer’s letter.

SLU newspaper’s freedom, not the adviser, is the issue

The story “SLU vs. communications professor” (June 7, B1) failed to inform readers about the core issue: the freedom of student journalists to investigate shortcomings of the very institution to which they belong.

Tenured professor Avis Meyer is a nationally renowned scholar, teacher and adviser who has been blamed by the administration at St. Louis University for years for the university’s student newspaper’s investigation of questionable practices reaching to the very top. Most university administrators swallow hard, and proclaim, “See, we have a free press.” Not at St. Louis University.

This controversy has nothing to do with Mr. Meyer. It has everything to do with practitioners who believe in the freedom of the press to stand up to the most powerful people in our community. All protestations to the contrary by the university are camouflage.

Now is the time for students, faculty and alumni of this great university to rally in support of the First Amendment, or have they been too cowed?