Table of Contents
FIRE’s Ashland University Case on Volokh
Our recent involvement at Ashland University continues to gain attention on the web with a post on the widely read Volokh Conspiracy blog by David Bernstein. Torch readers will recall that Ashland denied Professor John Lewis tenure for engaging in Objectivist scholarship that did not comport with the school’s “Judeo-Christian tradition.” This was after Ashland accepted $100,000 from a private foundation that granted the money expressly for the purpose of funding Lewis’ Objectivist research. Ashland ultimately granted Lewis tenure in exchange for his resignation, after FIRE wrote to the university that Ashland was contractually obligated to uphold Lewis’ academic freedom and, as Bernstein noted, that Ashland’s academic regulations “made it far from clear that the professor, John Lewis, was violating university policy.”
Recent Articles
FIRE’s award-winning Newsdesk covers the free speech news you need to stay informed.
VICTORY: Michigan town declares Sept. 6 ‘First Amendment Day’ after FIRE sues its mayor for shouting down residents
After their mayor silenced them for criticizing her during city council meetings, four Eastpointe, Michigan, residents sued their city — and won.
USC canceling valedictorian’s commencement speech looks like calculated censorship
The university’s move, citing vague ‘safety concerns’ appears designed to placate critics of the student’s Israel criticism.
Back into the FIRE: Hasen’s response to FIRE and Rohde: Don’t read the press clause out of the Constitution — First Amendment News 420
First Amendment News is a weekly blog and newsletter about free expression issues by Ronald K. L. Collins and is editorially independent from FIRE.
Western Washington University punishes racing team for sending photo of penis drawing on pizza box
The university faulted the group for drawing “a symbol of white, male power and domination.”