Case Summary
North Carolina residents are suing Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) and its Board of Trustees due to CPCC's efforts to hide information about its development of a controversial public safety training facility. Two plaintiffs were also banned from CPCC's campus after attending a public meeting about the issue.
Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) filed a Complaint in Mecklenburg County Superior Court on April 23, 2025, on behalf of five Mecklenburg County residents, detailing how CPCC systematically shielded from view public information about a massive training facility, and then kicked out these individuals from a public meeting on March 12, 2025, for simply attempting to learn more information. The case was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in Charlotte on May 23, 2025. The lawsuit asks the court to stop CPCC from continuing its unlawful practices; nullify those decisions that occurred in violation of the law; and hold CPCC accountable for violating the First Amendment rights of two plaintiffs who were unjustifiably banned from its campus. The federal lawsuit was settled on June 24, 2025, ending a legal dispute that spotlighted concerns about public access to information and free speech on campus.
As part of the settlement:
- CPCC agreed to rescind the campus bans against two plaintiffs.
- CPCC committed to a schedule for fulfilling outstanding public records requests related to the training facility. The college will work in good faith to complete responses by June 30, 2025, and ensure access without undue burden or cost.
While CPCC denies any wrongdoing, the college has committed to continued compliance with state transparency laws. In consideration of these commitments, the plaintiffs agreed to dismiss the lawsuit.
Why it's Important
The large-scale development of law enforcement training facilities implicates an array of public safety, environmental, and economic concerns. The public has a protected interest to be able to access details about these projects funded by taxpayer dollars. This litigation seeks to ensure that public bodies uphold their obligations to be open and transparent, and are held accountable for violating the rights of those who ask questions.
