They hold power. Nobody threatens them. And still, we often see leftist academics trying to silence faculty members who dare to criticize the way they run things.
A new case has just been filed in Texas–Lowery v. Mills, et al.
Richard Lowery is a faculty member who teaches finance at the University of Texas. He is an outspoken critic of the school’s many leftist obsessions. For that, he has been subjected to pressure from the administration.
Lowery is represented by attorneys from the Institute for Free Speech. In its press release, attorney Del Kolde stated, “Professors at public universities have the right to criticize administrators and speak to elected officials. The First Amendment protects such speech and, in a free society, DEI programs and UT’s president are not above public criticism.”
This case seems quite similar to one that was recently concluded involving Auburn, where a professor who criticized the administration for its football mania was penalized for speaking his mind. A jury awarded him over $645,000 in damages. (I wrote about that case here.)
Judges and juries don’t look favorably on university bigwigs who try to silence critics. The defendants here should keep that in mind.