Wayne State University: Professor Suspended For Provocative Facebook Post Criticizing Campus Shout downs

On March 24, 2023, Professor Steven Shaviro made a hyperbolic Facebook post criticizing shout downs of campus speakers, writing “it is far more admirable to kill a racist, homophobic, or transphobic speaker than it is to shout them down.” Wayne State subsequently suspended Shaviro for the post. On March 28, FIRE wrote the university urging it to reverse Shaviro’s suspension, explaining that Shaviro’s post was protected speech not comprising a true threat or incitement, and that the university could not punish him for it. Wayne State dropped the suspension and reinstated Shaviro on May 2.