Judge rules for professors in University of Florida academic freedom case
Source: Washington Post
Judge rules for professors in University of Florida academic freedom case
Faculty argued their First Amendment rights were violated when they were told not to speak out on matters of public interest
By Susan Svrluga and Lori Rozsa
Yesterday at 7:19 p.m. EST
A federal judge issued a strongly worded defense of academic freedom Friday, ordering the University of Florida not to enforce its conflict of interest policy against faculty or others participating in lawsuits against the state.
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted, in part, a preliminary injunction sought by professors who argued that their First Amendment rights had been violated by the university’s actions.
The case raised national attention when three political science professors were initially denied permission to testify in a lawsuit challenging a state law, championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), that limits vote-by-mail practices and ballot drop boxes. It has been closely watched as a symbol of the tensions between politics and academia, particularly at public universities dependent on state funding.
The lawsuit focused on a conflict-of-interest policy enacted in 2020 that requires UF faculty to file a request to participate in any outside activity, which the university could deny if it was found to be in conflict with the interests of the state.
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Read more: https://wapo.st/3tUVkRB
Original WaPo link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/01/21/university-florida-lawsuit-academic-freedom/
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