Lawsuit: UT-Dallas disciplined student ‘for practicing journalism’

Gregorio Olivares Gutierrez, third from left, describes being fired as editor-in-chief of The Mercury at the Student Press Law Center's 50th Anniversary Celebration in October 2025. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson)

Gregorio Olivares Gutierrez is suing administrators at the University of Texas at Dallas, alleging they violated his First Amendment rights when the university found he had discriminated against a student by editing their letter to the editor and publishing it with a disclaimer.

Eight student media lawsuits we’re following

It has been a turbulent year in the courts for student journalism, with a number of decided and ongoing cases that could have long-lasting implications for student press freedom and beyond. The Student Press Law Center reviews where eight of these cases stand right now.

SPLC supports UT-Dallas journalists in starting independent paper amid clash with administration

From left: University of Texas at Dallas’s alternative student newspaper, The Retrograde, is staffed by distribution manager Lulu Cheng, human resource director Alexander Lawless, web editor Rainier Pederson, editor-in-chief Gregorio Olivares Gutierrez, managing editor Maria Shaikh and news editor Aimee Morgan. (Photo by Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune)

In a dramatic and courageous stand for press freedom last fall, the staff of The Mercury at the University of Texas at Dallas went on strike following administrators’ controversial firing of their editor. Now, with the support of the Student Press Law Center and our partners, they operate a new student newspaper, The Retrograde, completely independent of the university.