Fresno State professor to pay $17K and undergo training after censoring students' pro-life messages

According to the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Fresno State professor will have to pay $17,000 and undergo First Amendment training after censoring pro-life messages.

Professor William Greg Thatcher was caught on camera back in May defacing students pro-life chalk messages and instructed his class to do the same.

On Friday, a federal court issued the order in the lawsuit that Fresno State Students for Life filed in May over the professor's actions.

Thatcher will pay $1,000 in damages to each of two club leaders and $15,000 in attorneys' fees and will undergo two hours of First Amendment training. He has agreed to an injunction that prohibits him from interfering in future Students for Life events or directing others to do so.

The video of Thatcher defacing the chalk messages went viral and in the video, Thatcher said the group's messages are only allowed in the free speech area. But Fresno State President Joseph Castro said that rule was overturned two years ago and now free speech is allowed in all outdoor spaces.