Home Cases FIRE's Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project Cases Search all Cases Case News Case OverviewCase NewsCase Documents Case News LAWSUIT: Fired for criticizing Mike Pence and campus COVID-19 response, a Collin College history professor sues to protect faculty rights October 26, 2021 Press Release LAWSUIT: A med school prohibited a student from starting a club promoting healthcare reform. Now he’s suing to protect his rights. August 17, 2021 Press Release LAWSUIT: Student reporter sues university president for forbidding journalism March 2, 2021 Press Release LAWSUIT: The University of Tennessee tried to expel a grad student for a tweet about Cardi B and other social media posts. Now she’s fighting back. February 5, 2021 Press Release LAWSUIT: Campus police said he should’ve been ‘smarter’ than to exercise his First Amendment rights. Now he’s suing. September 4, 2019 Press Release VICTORY: Chicago State to rewrite policies, pay $650,000 to settle professors’ First Amendment lawsuit January 8, 2019 Press Release VICTORY: Speech rights of 150,000 students to be restored as Los Angeles Community College District settles lawsuit, will abandon Pierce College’s tiny free speech zone December 13, 2018 Press Release VICTORY: Student detained for passing out political flyers settles lawsuit with Illinois college April 18, 2018 Press Release Professor fired for defending Black Lives Matter on Fox News files lawsuit April 10, 2018 FIRE lawsuit against Iowa State University administrators ends with nearly $1 million in damages and fees March 23, 2018 News Court rejects Pierce College’s attempt to dismiss lawsuit against its tiny ‘free speech zone’ January 18, 2018 Press Release FIRE files lawsuit on behalf of Illinois student detained by police for ‘Shut Down Capitalism’ flyers January 11, 2018 Press Release FIRE sues college for ignoring records requests about its firing of Black Lives Matter advocate January 4, 2018 Press Release FIRE victory stands: Eighth Circuit denies Iowa State University’s request for rehearing August 9, 2017 Eighth Circuit reaffirms victory at Iowa State: School still can’t censor pot legalization T-shirts June 14, 2017 News Student sues Los Angeles Community College District to free over 150,000 students from unconstitutional ‘free speech zones’ March 28, 2017 Press Release Victory in Eighth Circuit: Iowa State Can’t Censor Pot Legalization T-Shirts February 13, 2017 Press Release BACK TO SCHOOL: Is Your School Censoring Your Speech? Think About Making a Federal Case Out of It. September 2, 2016 FIRE’s Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project Turns Two July 1, 2016 Successful Student Plaintiff Shouts Out FIRE with Graduation Garb May 13, 2016 News Another Victory in Iowa State NORML Chapter’s Fight to Advocate for Marijuana Legalization April 7, 2016 Despite Multiple Legal Setbacks, Iowa State’s Desire to Censor Remains Strong March 10, 2016 News A Walk Down (Bad) Memory Lane: Revisiting FIRE Cases That University of South Carolina Students Got in Trouble for Simply Talking About March 8, 2016 No Limits: University of South Carolina Students Fight for Free Speech (VIDEO) February 26, 2016 News FIRE Q&A: Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project Plaintiff Ross Abbott February 25, 2016 Louisiana State University’s Faculty Senate Adopts Chicago Statement February 23, 2016 FIRE’s Will Creeley in 'The Wall Street Journal': How the Sexual Harassment Cops Became Speech Police February 20, 2016 Federal Court Ruling Against Iowa State Means Administrators Can’t Just Plead Ignorance of First Amendment Law February 19, 2016 Teresa Buchanan Uncensored: How an Innovative Educator Created Top Teachers and Got Fired for It January 22, 2016 Cal Poly Admin Says Suit Could Have Been Avoided If Student Had Only Met with Her First—But He Did August 17, 2015 Victory: Animal Rights Activist Restores Free Speech Rights of Cal Poly Pomona Students with Lawsuit Settlement July 23, 2015 Press Release Quick Thoughts on Stand Up For Speech’s Successful First Year July 1, 2015 In First Year, FIRE’s Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project Restores the Rights of 150,000 Students (and Counting) July 1, 2015 Press Release Another Student Stopped From Handing Out Constitutions: Q&A With Anthony Vizzone June 17, 2015 WMU Has Now Posted Its New Policies Where Students Can Find Them June 16, 2015 FIRE’s Catherine Sevcenko Explains Blinn Lawsuit in ‘San Antonio Express-News’ June 16, 2015 WMU Sacrifices Students’ First Amendment Rights to Keep Settlement Agreement Secret June 12, 2015 Student Sues Texas College After Being Told Gun Rights Sign Needs ‘Special Permission’ May 20, 2015 Press Release ‘Los Angeles Times’ Shares Remarks from Student, Admins, Lawyers at the Heart of Cal Poly Pomona Lawsuit May 13, 2015 Dixie State U., Cal Poly Pomona Suspend Restrictive Speech Codes in Wake of FIRE-Led Lawsuits May 7, 2015 Press Release Cal Poly Pomona Suspends Unconstitutional Policies in Response to Animal Rights Activist’s Lawsuit May 6, 2015 Press Release WMU Can’t Spin Away the Facts: It Has to Pay Damages and Reform Its Speech Codes May 6, 2015 After Lawsuit’s Filing, Dixie State Suspends Restrictive Speech Codes, Plans to Revise Policies May 5, 2015 Press Release Western Michigan U. Settles Boots Riley ‘Speech Tax’ Lawsuit, ‘Stand Up For Speech’ Scores Fifth Victory May 4, 2015 Press Release Chicago State Plaintiffs Show Court What Chilled Speech Looks Like April 24, 2015 Two Reasons Why Cal Poly Pomona Lawsuit Is Different April 10, 2015 Cal Poly Pomona Plaintiff Speaks Out on Why He Decided to Sue His School April 8, 2015 Student Animal Rights Activist Sues Cal Poly Pomona for Requiring Permit to Speak March 31, 2015 Press Release Supreme Court Considers Texas License Plate Case That Could Threaten Free Speech on Campus March 24, 2015 News Ex-Chicago State Admin: I Was Pressured to File False Harassment Claim Against Faculty Critic March 20, 2015 Press Release Media Report on Latest Stand Up For Speech Case: Censorship at Dixie State March 18, 2015 Students Sue Dixie State U. Over ‘Free Speech Zone,’ Censorship of Bush, Obama, Che Flyers March 4, 2015 Press Release Citing ‘Stand Up For Speech’ Cases, FIRE Urges Supreme Court Not to Expand ‘Government Speech’ Doctrine February 18, 2015 Stand Up For Speech Plaintiff: ‘Code of Conduct Change Could Not Have Happened Without Lawsuit’ February 6, 2015 FIRE’s Victory at Ohio U. Makes Headlines February 4, 2015 Students, FIRE Go Four-for-Four as Ohio U. Settles Speech Code Lawsuit February 2, 2015 Press Release FIRE’s Azhar Majeed on ‘What Universities Can Do for Free Speech in 2015’ January 14, 2015 Highlights and Lowlights for Campus Rights in 2014 December 29, 2014 Press Release Help FIRE Fight Back: Support Our Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project December 17, 2014 Media Spreads the Word About Stand Up For Speech Lawsuit Victories December 10, 2014 Constitution Day 2014: What a Difference a Year Makes September 18, 2014 On Constitution Day, FIRE Mails First Amendment Warning to More Than 300 Colleges September 17, 2014 Press Release Azhar Majeed’s Simple Message to College Administrators: End Censorship, or Else September 3, 2014 Students Return to Campus Censorship, But Fight Back with FIRE September 2, 2014 Press Release Modesto Junior College’s Lawyer: Colleges, Dump Your Speech Codes August 22, 2014 Humboldt Professor Warns of Censorship on Campus August 1, 2014 Recap: The 2014 FIRE Student Network Conference July 31, 2014 A Big Year for Campus Censorship July 30, 2014 Virginia Postrel on Misguided Support for Free Speech Zones July 14, 2014 FIRE’s Sevcenko on Iowa State Lawsuit for ‘Huffington Post’ July 10, 2014 ‘Las Vegas Review-Journal’ Calls on UNLV to Abandon Speech Codes July 9, 2014 New FIRE Video: Don’t Shut Up—Stand Up For Speech! July 8, 2014 Gun Rights Activist’s Speech Draws Unconstitutional Security Fees at Boise State July 7, 2014 Press Release FIRE’s Azhar Majeed in ‘Chicago Tribune’ on Chicago State Lawsuit July 7, 2014 This Fourth of July, Students and Faculty Are ‘Retracing the Steps to Free Speech’ July 4, 2014 FIRE’s Shibley in ‘Washington Post’: Lawsuits ‘About to Become a Lot More Common’ July 2, 2014 Help Students and Professors Stand Up For Speech! Support FIRE Today July 2, 2014 Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project Makes Media Splash July 2, 2014 FIRE Brings Four Free Speech Lawsuits in One Day July 1, 2014 Press Release Watch Now: FIRE’s Big Announcement Is Streaming Live! July 1, 2014 A Major, Exciting FIRE Announcement Is On Its Way July 1, 2014 Western Michigan University Bans Rapper, Burdens Free Expression April 18, 2014
LAWSUIT: Fired for criticizing Mike Pence and campus COVID-19 response, a Collin College history professor sues to protect faculty rights October 26, 2021 Press Release LAWSUIT: A med school prohibited a student from starting a club promoting healthcare reform. Now he’s suing to protect his rights. August 17, 2021 Press Release LAWSUIT: Student reporter sues university president for forbidding journalism March 2, 2021 Press Release LAWSUIT: The University of Tennessee tried to expel a grad student for a tweet about Cardi B and other social media posts. Now she’s fighting back. February 5, 2021 Press Release LAWSUIT: Campus police said he should’ve been ‘smarter’ than to exercise his First Amendment rights. Now he’s suing. September 4, 2019 Press Release VICTORY: Chicago State to rewrite policies, pay $650,000 to settle professors’ First Amendment lawsuit January 8, 2019 Press Release VICTORY: Speech rights of 150,000 students to be restored as Los Angeles Community College District settles lawsuit, will abandon Pierce College’s tiny free speech zone December 13, 2018 Press Release VICTORY: Student detained for passing out political flyers settles lawsuit with Illinois college April 18, 2018 Press Release Professor fired for defending Black Lives Matter on Fox News files lawsuit April 10, 2018 FIRE lawsuit against Iowa State University administrators ends with nearly $1 million in damages and fees March 23, 2018 News Court rejects Pierce College’s attempt to dismiss lawsuit against its tiny ‘free speech zone’ January 18, 2018 Press Release FIRE files lawsuit on behalf of Illinois student detained by police for ‘Shut Down Capitalism’ flyers January 11, 2018 Press Release FIRE sues college for ignoring records requests about its firing of Black Lives Matter advocate January 4, 2018 Press Release FIRE victory stands: Eighth Circuit denies Iowa State University’s request for rehearing August 9, 2017 Eighth Circuit reaffirms victory at Iowa State: School still can’t censor pot legalization T-shirts June 14, 2017 News Student sues Los Angeles Community College District to free over 150,000 students from unconstitutional ‘free speech zones’ March 28, 2017 Press Release Victory in Eighth Circuit: Iowa State Can’t Censor Pot Legalization T-Shirts February 13, 2017 Press Release BACK TO SCHOOL: Is Your School Censoring Your Speech? Think About Making a Federal Case Out of It. September 2, 2016 FIRE’s Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project Turns Two July 1, 2016 Successful Student Plaintiff Shouts Out FIRE with Graduation Garb May 13, 2016 News Another Victory in Iowa State NORML Chapter’s Fight to Advocate for Marijuana Legalization April 7, 2016 Despite Multiple Legal Setbacks, Iowa State’s Desire to Censor Remains Strong March 10, 2016 News A Walk Down (Bad) Memory Lane: Revisiting FIRE Cases That University of South Carolina Students Got in Trouble for Simply Talking About March 8, 2016 No Limits: University of South Carolina Students Fight for Free Speech (VIDEO) February 26, 2016 News FIRE Q&A: Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project Plaintiff Ross Abbott February 25, 2016 Louisiana State University’s Faculty Senate Adopts Chicago Statement February 23, 2016 FIRE’s Will Creeley in 'The Wall Street Journal': How the Sexual Harassment Cops Became Speech Police February 20, 2016 Federal Court Ruling Against Iowa State Means Administrators Can’t Just Plead Ignorance of First Amendment Law February 19, 2016 Teresa Buchanan Uncensored: How an Innovative Educator Created Top Teachers and Got Fired for It January 22, 2016 Cal Poly Admin Says Suit Could Have Been Avoided If Student Had Only Met with Her First—But He Did August 17, 2015 Victory: Animal Rights Activist Restores Free Speech Rights of Cal Poly Pomona Students with Lawsuit Settlement July 23, 2015 Press Release Quick Thoughts on Stand Up For Speech’s Successful First Year July 1, 2015 In First Year, FIRE’s Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project Restores the Rights of 150,000 Students (and Counting) July 1, 2015 Press Release Another Student Stopped From Handing Out Constitutions: Q&A With Anthony Vizzone June 17, 2015 WMU Has Now Posted Its New Policies Where Students Can Find Them June 16, 2015 FIRE’s Catherine Sevcenko Explains Blinn Lawsuit in ‘San Antonio Express-News’ June 16, 2015 WMU Sacrifices Students’ First Amendment Rights to Keep Settlement Agreement Secret June 12, 2015 Student Sues Texas College After Being Told Gun Rights Sign Needs ‘Special Permission’ May 20, 2015 Press Release ‘Los Angeles Times’ Shares Remarks from Student, Admins, Lawyers at the Heart of Cal Poly Pomona Lawsuit May 13, 2015 Dixie State U., Cal Poly Pomona Suspend Restrictive Speech Codes in Wake of FIRE-Led Lawsuits May 7, 2015 Press Release Cal Poly Pomona Suspends Unconstitutional Policies in Response to Animal Rights Activist’s Lawsuit May 6, 2015 Press Release WMU Can’t Spin Away the Facts: It Has to Pay Damages and Reform Its Speech Codes May 6, 2015 After Lawsuit’s Filing, Dixie State Suspends Restrictive Speech Codes, Plans to Revise Policies May 5, 2015 Press Release Western Michigan U. Settles Boots Riley ‘Speech Tax’ Lawsuit, ‘Stand Up For Speech’ Scores Fifth Victory May 4, 2015 Press Release Chicago State Plaintiffs Show Court What Chilled Speech Looks Like April 24, 2015 Two Reasons Why Cal Poly Pomona Lawsuit Is Different April 10, 2015 Cal Poly Pomona Plaintiff Speaks Out on Why He Decided to Sue His School April 8, 2015 Student Animal Rights Activist Sues Cal Poly Pomona for Requiring Permit to Speak March 31, 2015 Press Release Supreme Court Considers Texas License Plate Case That Could Threaten Free Speech on Campus March 24, 2015 News Ex-Chicago State Admin: I Was Pressured to File False Harassment Claim Against Faculty Critic March 20, 2015 Press Release Media Report on Latest Stand Up For Speech Case: Censorship at Dixie State March 18, 2015 Students Sue Dixie State U. Over ‘Free Speech Zone,’ Censorship of Bush, Obama, Che Flyers March 4, 2015 Press Release Citing ‘Stand Up For Speech’ Cases, FIRE Urges Supreme Court Not to Expand ‘Government Speech’ Doctrine February 18, 2015 Stand Up For Speech Plaintiff: ‘Code of Conduct Change Could Not Have Happened Without Lawsuit’ February 6, 2015 FIRE’s Victory at Ohio U. Makes Headlines February 4, 2015 Students, FIRE Go Four-for-Four as Ohio U. Settles Speech Code Lawsuit February 2, 2015 Press Release FIRE’s Azhar Majeed on ‘What Universities Can Do for Free Speech in 2015’ January 14, 2015 Highlights and Lowlights for Campus Rights in 2014 December 29, 2014 Press Release Help FIRE Fight Back: Support Our Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project December 17, 2014 Media Spreads the Word About Stand Up For Speech Lawsuit Victories December 10, 2014 Constitution Day 2014: What a Difference a Year Makes September 18, 2014 On Constitution Day, FIRE Mails First Amendment Warning to More Than 300 Colleges September 17, 2014 Press Release Azhar Majeed’s Simple Message to College Administrators: End Censorship, or Else September 3, 2014 Students Return to Campus Censorship, But Fight Back with FIRE September 2, 2014 Press Release Modesto Junior College’s Lawyer: Colleges, Dump Your Speech Codes August 22, 2014 Humboldt Professor Warns of Censorship on Campus August 1, 2014 Recap: The 2014 FIRE Student Network Conference July 31, 2014 A Big Year for Campus Censorship July 30, 2014 Virginia Postrel on Misguided Support for Free Speech Zones July 14, 2014 FIRE’s Sevcenko on Iowa State Lawsuit for ‘Huffington Post’ July 10, 2014 ‘Las Vegas Review-Journal’ Calls on UNLV to Abandon Speech Codes July 9, 2014 New FIRE Video: Don’t Shut Up—Stand Up For Speech! July 8, 2014 Gun Rights Activist’s Speech Draws Unconstitutional Security Fees at Boise State July 7, 2014 Press Release FIRE’s Azhar Majeed in ‘Chicago Tribune’ on Chicago State Lawsuit July 7, 2014 This Fourth of July, Students and Faculty Are ‘Retracing the Steps to Free Speech’ July 4, 2014 FIRE’s Shibley in ‘Washington Post’: Lawsuits ‘About to Become a Lot More Common’ July 2, 2014 Help Students and Professors Stand Up For Speech! Support FIRE Today July 2, 2014 Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project Makes Media Splash July 2, 2014 FIRE Brings Four Free Speech Lawsuits in One Day July 1, 2014 Press Release Watch Now: FIRE’s Big Announcement Is Streaming Live! July 1, 2014 A Major, Exciting FIRE Announcement Is On Its Way July 1, 2014 Western Michigan University Bans Rapper, Burdens Free Expression April 18, 2014
LAWSUIT: Fired for criticizing Mike Pence and campus COVID-19 response, a Collin College history professor sues to protect faculty rights October 26, 2021 Press Release
LAWSUIT: A med school prohibited a student from starting a club promoting healthcare reform. Now he’s suing to protect his rights. August 17, 2021 Press Release
LAWSUIT: Student reporter sues university president for forbidding journalism March 2, 2021 Press Release
LAWSUIT: The University of Tennessee tried to expel a grad student for a tweet about Cardi B and other social media posts. Now she’s fighting back. February 5, 2021 Press Release
LAWSUIT: Campus police said he should’ve been ‘smarter’ than to exercise his First Amendment rights. Now he’s suing. September 4, 2019 Press Release
VICTORY: Chicago State to rewrite policies, pay $650,000 to settle professors’ First Amendment lawsuit January 8, 2019 Press Release
VICTORY: Speech rights of 150,000 students to be restored as Los Angeles Community College District settles lawsuit, will abandon Pierce College’s tiny free speech zone December 13, 2018 Press Release
VICTORY: Student detained for passing out political flyers settles lawsuit with Illinois college April 18, 2018 Press Release
FIRE lawsuit against Iowa State University administrators ends with nearly $1 million in damages and fees March 23, 2018 News
Court rejects Pierce College’s attempt to dismiss lawsuit against its tiny ‘free speech zone’ January 18, 2018 Press Release
FIRE files lawsuit on behalf of Illinois student detained by police for ‘Shut Down Capitalism’ flyers January 11, 2018 Press Release
FIRE sues college for ignoring records requests about its firing of Black Lives Matter advocate January 4, 2018 Press Release
FIRE victory stands: Eighth Circuit denies Iowa State University’s request for rehearing August 9, 2017
Eighth Circuit reaffirms victory at Iowa State: School still can’t censor pot legalization T-shirts June 14, 2017 News
Student sues Los Angeles Community College District to free over 150,000 students from unconstitutional ‘free speech zones’ March 28, 2017 Press Release
Victory in Eighth Circuit: Iowa State Can’t Censor Pot Legalization T-Shirts February 13, 2017 Press Release
BACK TO SCHOOL: Is Your School Censoring Your Speech? Think About Making a Federal Case Out of It. September 2, 2016
Another Victory in Iowa State NORML Chapter’s Fight to Advocate for Marijuana Legalization April 7, 2016
A Walk Down (Bad) Memory Lane: Revisiting FIRE Cases That University of South Carolina Students Got in Trouble for Simply Talking About March 8, 2016
No Limits: University of South Carolina Students Fight for Free Speech (VIDEO) February 26, 2016 News
FIRE’s Will Creeley in 'The Wall Street Journal': How the Sexual Harassment Cops Became Speech Police February 20, 2016
Federal Court Ruling Against Iowa State Means Administrators Can’t Just Plead Ignorance of First Amendment Law February 19, 2016
Teresa Buchanan Uncensored: How an Innovative Educator Created Top Teachers and Got Fired for It January 22, 2016
Cal Poly Admin Says Suit Could Have Been Avoided If Student Had Only Met with Her First—But He Did August 17, 2015
Victory: Animal Rights Activist Restores Free Speech Rights of Cal Poly Pomona Students with Lawsuit Settlement July 23, 2015 Press Release
In First Year, FIRE’s Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project Restores the Rights of 150,000 Students (and Counting) July 1, 2015 Press Release
Student Sues Texas College After Being Told Gun Rights Sign Needs ‘Special Permission’ May 20, 2015 Press Release
‘Los Angeles Times’ Shares Remarks from Student, Admins, Lawyers at the Heart of Cal Poly Pomona Lawsuit May 13, 2015
Dixie State U., Cal Poly Pomona Suspend Restrictive Speech Codes in Wake of FIRE-Led Lawsuits May 7, 2015 Press Release
Cal Poly Pomona Suspends Unconstitutional Policies in Response to Animal Rights Activist’s Lawsuit May 6, 2015 Press Release
After Lawsuit’s Filing, Dixie State Suspends Restrictive Speech Codes, Plans to Revise Policies May 5, 2015 Press Release
Western Michigan U. Settles Boots Riley ‘Speech Tax’ Lawsuit, ‘Stand Up For Speech’ Scores Fifth Victory May 4, 2015 Press Release
Student Animal Rights Activist Sues Cal Poly Pomona for Requiring Permit to Speak March 31, 2015 Press Release
Supreme Court Considers Texas License Plate Case That Could Threaten Free Speech on Campus March 24, 2015 News
Ex-Chicago State Admin: I Was Pressured to File False Harassment Claim Against Faculty Critic March 20, 2015 Press Release
Students Sue Dixie State U. Over ‘Free Speech Zone,’ Censorship of Bush, Obama, Che Flyers March 4, 2015 Press Release
Citing ‘Stand Up For Speech’ Cases, FIRE Urges Supreme Court Not to Expand ‘Government Speech’ Doctrine February 18, 2015
Stand Up For Speech Plaintiff: ‘Code of Conduct Change Could Not Have Happened Without Lawsuit’ February 6, 2015
Students, FIRE Go Four-for-Four as Ohio U. Settles Speech Code Lawsuit February 2, 2015 Press Release
On Constitution Day, FIRE Mails First Amendment Warning to More Than 300 Colleges September 17, 2014 Press Release
Gun Rights Activist’s Speech Draws Unconstitutional Security Fees at Boise State July 7, 2014 Press Release
