It is well settled that a public school cannot punish a teacher for speaking out as a private citizen on school issues. Yet a federal court in Oregon said the opposite and ruled that school officials were protected by qualified immunity for doing so.
One problematic CCBC policy mandates faculty and students use preferred names and pronouns, while another forces employees to seek permission before speaking to media.
Some public universities and other government entities have punished individuals who refuse to use others’ specified pronouns. FIRE explains the serious compelled speech issues raised by pronoun mandates.
Lawmakers across the country are advancing legislation intended to protect minors from harms allegedly caused by social media use, but the First Amendment prohibits the government from swinging an ax when a scalpel might suffice.
Steve Elster applied to register a trademark saying “TRUMP TOO SMALL.” The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected his application under 15 U.S.C. § 1502(c) because Elster did not receive permission from former president Trump to use his name in a trademark.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed Senate Bill S.2802, which protects against frivolous litigation, passed unanimously in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature.
