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Stanford Student Groups Square Off On Free Speech, Debate Family Values

STANFORD (KCBS)— A controversial family values conference scheduled at Stanford University next month has sparked a free-speech debate on campus among student organizations. The event's organizers claim they've already been discriminated against.

The Stanford Anscombe Society—a student group designed to promote the values of marriage, family and sexual integrity - is planning to hold a Communicating Values conference and had been granted $600 by the Stanford Graduate Student Council to hold the conference.

Once LGBT activists began voicing their opposition to the conference, the student council revoked the money that had been granted.

Stanford Student Groups Square Off On Free Speech, Debate Family Values

The president of the Anscombe Society told the SF Examiner that the conference does not discriminate against anyone, but that they are now the victims of viewpoint discrimination and feel that they are being unfairly treated by the student council.

Jeffrey Cohen of GradQ, a campus LBGT student group, told the Examiner the conference is "an echo chamber of hate."

Initially, the Anscombe Society was to be charged $5,600 for event security, but the University has said it will now cover those costs.

The conference is scheduled to be held on campus April 5th.

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