Table of Contents
Social Work Injustice on Inside Higher Ed
Today’s Inside Higher Ed carries an article covering the ADF’s lawsuit against Missouri State University for its outrageous, ideologically based treatment of social work student Emily Brooker. The case, which was covered by our own Luke Sheahan in a blog yesterday, involves, among other things, Brooker’s being forced to write a letter to legislators supporting a political policy with which she disagreed. This is very similar to the case of social work student Bill Felkner at Rhode Island College, who was also forced to lobby the state legislature for a policy that he didn’t really support.
Those who follow FIRE’s work, of course, weren’t surprised to see these abuses happen in social work schools. Last week, FIRE wrote to the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) about the political litmus tests endorsed by the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE)—the accrediting body for schools of social work. HHS social workers must have a degree from a CSWE-accredited school—and CSWE-accredited schools must evaluate students on their dedication to “social and economic justice,” which are undeniably controversial issues. Neither Bill Felkner nor Emily Brooker fit in with the mainstream of students at their schools of social work when it came to those issues. Is it a coincidence, then, that they were the ones punished for their beliefs?
Recent Articles
FIRE’s award-winning Newsdesk covers the free speech news you need to stay informed.

Missouri governor signs legislation securing students’ rights to freely associate on campus
A new law protects campus groups’ freedom to set their own membership rules — affirming students don’t leave the First Amendment at the campus gate.

Purdue fails its own test on institutional neutrality
Purdue claimed neutrality — until a student paper challenged it. But pressuring the paper to change its name is not neutrality. It’s censorship.

Extortion in plain sight
A baseless lawsuit, FCC strong-arming, an $8 billion merger — and free speech hanging in the balance. Robert Corn-Revere exposes the political pressure campaign that forced CBS to settle a case that never should’ve been filed.

Jailed for basic journalism, Texas reporter takes free speech fight to Supreme Court
When local officials tried to turn journalism into a crime, Priscilla Villarreal refused to back down. Arrested for asking questions, now with FIRE at her side, she’s taking her fight all the way to the Supreme Court.