We reported that the Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit on behalf of Thomas Nelson Community College student Christian Parks, asserting he was denied free speech rights because administrators prohibited him from talking about Jesus Christ on the quad.

The school as settled out of court, which is a free speech for students everywhere. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has the details.

Almost three months after Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC) student Christian Parks filed a lawsuit alleging that the college used a Virginia Community College System (VCCS) policy to violate his constitutional right to freedom of speech, the case is drawing to an end with a result that promises to benefit students across the commonwealth.

…This result isn’t wholly surprising in light of Virginia’s statutory ban on “free speech zones,” signed into law in April. Still, it’s good that VCCS has admitted its error—FIRE has certainly seen colleges continue to fight losing battles before. Reporting on the case from The Virginian-Pilot suggests that the commonwealth might have planned this outcome anyway:

Attorney General Mark Herring’s office elected not to defend the policy in court, and it was suspended in April.

“Once the suit was filed, our office got all parties together to help facilitate a solution prior to extensive litigation,” said Michael Kelly, a Herring spokesman.

Either way, the outcome here is great news for students wishing to express themselves on community college campuses throughout Virginia. But the commonwealth didn’t avoid costs altogether—VCCS will be paying $24,999 in attorneys’ fees to Parks’ counsel, attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom, along with $1 in nominal damages.