Identity of Speakers
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Tayah Lackie
Unaffiliated
OtherLackie is a graduate of St. Cloud of State University
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Lawsuit
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
Litigation
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Incident Status:
In litigation Federal District Court
- Did not involve Speech Codes
Summary
In May 2024, Tayah Lackie, a recent graduate of St. Cloud State University, filed a federal lawsuit challenging the use of mandatory student fees to fund Students United, a private advocacy group officially known as the Minnesota State University Student Association, Inc. She argued that being forced to support the organization violated her First Amendment rights, as she opposed its political activities and was unaware of its role during her time as a student.
Students United—known for campaigns like “Fck Student Debt”—receives about 76% of its funding from mandatory student fees across the Minnesota State university system. Represented by the Liberty Justice Center and the Upper Midwest Law Center, Lackie claimed students should not be compelled to subsidize political speech they do not support.
In February 2025, a federal judge dismissed some claims and individual defendants but allowed the core claims against Students United and the university system to move forward. The state defends the fee structure as required under Minnesota law, which mandates support for a statewide student association.
