Daytona State College: Cancellation of Art Exhibit Raises Censorship Concerns

In December 2022, Daytona State College canceled a planned art exhibit at its Southeast Museum of Photography, citing structural issues with the exhibit’s gallery stemming from HVAC system damage. In August 2023, public reporting suggested the college actually canceled the exhibit because of concern regarding its content, which featured references to police violence against black men. The National Coalition Against Censorship, joined by FIRE and the ACLU of Florida, wrote the school on September 11 urging it to reschedule the exhibit if it was, in fact, canceled for logistical reasons. FIRE wrote the school separately on September 15 informing the school that viewpoint discrimination and censorship are impermissible if the exhibit’s content was the true reason for its cancellation.