LAWSUIT: Professor sues University of Washington after admins punish him for ‘inappropriate’ opinion – Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

Jessica Cruz, Twinkle Dont Blink

by FIRE

SEATTLE, July 13, 2022 When Professor Stuart Reges challenged the University of Washingtons position on land acknowledgements, administrators punished him, undermining his academic freedom. Today, backed by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Reges sued the university to vindicate his First Amendment right to express his opinion even if it differs from the party line.

Colleges increasingly promote land acknowledgment statements that recognize indigenous ties to the land on which a college sits. On a list of syllabus best practices, UWs computer science department encourages professors to include such a statement and suggests using language developed by the universitys diversity office to acknowledge that our campus sits on occupied land. The fact that the statement could be adapted seemed clear until Reges wrote one that administrators did not like.

University administrators turned me into a pariah on campus because I included a land acknowledgment that wasnt sufficiently progressive for them, said Reges. Land acknowledgments are performative acts of conformity that should be resisted, even if it lands you in court. I am pleased that FIRE joined with me to fight back against University of Washingtons illegal viewpoint discrimination.

COURTESY PHOTOS FOR MEDIA USE

On Dec. 8, 2021, Reges criticized land acknowledgment statements in an email to faculty, and on Jan. 3, he included a modified version of UWs example statement in his syllabus: I acknowledge that by the labor theory of property the Coast Salish people can claim historical ownership of almost none of the land currently occupied by the University of Washington. Regess statement was a nod to John Lockes philosophical theory that property rights are established by labor.

On Jan. 4, the director of the computer science department, Magdalena Balazinska, ordered Reges to immediately remove his modified statement from his syllabus, labeling it inappropriate and offensive, and declaring that it created a toxic environment in the course. Reges refused because Balazinskas demand was viewpoint discriminatory other computer science professors included their own land acknowledgments on their syllabi. But UW did not investigate or punish them because those statements, unlike Regess, were consistent with the universitys viewpoint.

The university launched an official investigation into Reges for allegedly violating UWs unconstitutionally overbroad harassment policy. This investigation has now dragged on for over four months. Balazinska also created a competing section of Regess course (featuring pre-recorded lectures by another professor) so students wouldnt have to take a computer science class from someone who didnt parrot the universitys preferred opinions.

Its ironic that a university whose motto is let there be light would shepherd students into a shadow course to shield them from a professors opinion, said FIRE attorney Katlyn Patton. If UW encourages professors to take a political stance on their syllabi, it cannot punish those professors who diverge from the schools pre-approved stance. At UW, the message to faculty is clear: Toe the party line or say goodbye to your students.

As a public institution bound by the First Amendment, UW must uphold its professors right to free speech and cannot discriminate against them based on viewpoint. UW is free to encourage its faculty to include land acknowledgment statements in their syllabi, and even to suggest examples, but it may not mandate that they either use only approved statements or remain silent on the issue under threat of discipline.

UW ignored FIREs demands that the university protect the expressive freedoms of its faculty members.

UW accused Reges of creating a toxic environment, but the university is poisoning the free exchange of ideas, said FIRE attorney Josh Bleisch. Were taking UW to court so that Reges and other faculty can share their views on important issues without fear of reprisal.

Robert A. Bouvatte, Jr. of Robert A. Bouvatte, PLLC is serving as local counsel for the lawsuit.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE recognizes that colleges and universities play a vital role in preserving free thought within a free society. To this end, we place a special emphasis on defending the individual rights of students and faculty members on our nations campuses, including freedom of speech, freedom of association, due process, legal equality, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience.

CONTACT:

Katie Kortepeter, Media Relations Manager, FIRE: 215-717-3473; media@thefire.org

Continued here:
LAWSUIT: Professor sues University of Washington after admins punish him for 'inappropriate' opinion - Foundation for Individual Rights in Education