Victory: Jury Rules North Carolina University Violated Conservative Professor’s Free Speech Rights

ACLJ ^ | 3/24/14 | David French

[Impala64ssa]

In Greenville, North Carolina, a jury in federal court found that the University of North Carolina-Wilmington violated criminology professor Mike Adams’ free speech rights when it denied his application for promotion to full professor. The ACLJ represents Dr. Adams, along with Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Travis Barham.

Dr. Adams is a conservative Christian who also regularly contributes to Townhall.com, where he often critiques the widespread leftist abuses within colleges and universities.

His speech caused a furious response within his university, with the Chancellor even attempting to alter the standards for promotion to allow the faculty to consider professors’ protected speech in promotion decisions.

When Dr. Adams submitted his application for full professor, university officials rejected it through the use of a completely-fabricated promotion standard, passed along false and misleading information about his academic record, explicitly considered the content of his protected speech in promotion documents, and – incredibly – allowed a professor who’d filed a false criminal complaint against Dr. Adams to cast a vote against his application.

The verdict represents a significant victory for the First Amendment and for academic freedom, sending a message nationwide that colleges and universities will be held accountable if they attempt to impose ideological, religious, or political litmus tests on professors or students.

The jury’s verdict was for liability only, and the judge will decide Dr. Adams’ relief within weeks.

In the meantime, we are grateful that justice was done and will press on to defend liberty in colleges and universities nationwide.

[Impala64ssa]

A step in the right direction.

[Fungi]

I have heard him on a few talk shows. Articulate, authortative, extremely knowledgeble and a Christian. We cannot have that!

[Candor7]

I hope he wins a few million dollars so he can lord it over all those leftist punk professors who are ushering in the decivilsation of America.

[Slings and Arrows]

Does the judge have the authority to order UNCW to promote Dr Adams?

[max americana]

Back in 03’, I read his articles back in Canuckistan which made me a rightwing conservative and an American. This was the height of anti Americanism due to the Iraq war.

[Eagles6]

Good for Mike.

[lurk]

In addition, he is the owner of a significant arsenal of guns. After this ruling, he will own more.

[DaveA37]

Congratulations to the good professor. The only problem I see with the outcome, albeit in the professor's favor, is that those responsible for “grieving” him got NOTHING for their arrogance and nasty ways. Then again, more may come of this at some later date.

[Rifleman]

Pet peeve. An arsenal is where you make weapons. A magazine is where you store them.

[Dilbert56]

Mike Adams is the perfect test case. The university loved his schtick when he was an atheist. When he converted to Christianity he became persona non grata. His qualifications are better than some who did get promoted so he's on solid ground.

If the court awards damages then universities all over the country will be scrambling to assess their exposure to similar actions.

[wbill]

I like Dr. Adams. He's a man who enjoys skewering academia, and I for one enjoy watching it get skewered.

But I think that he'd be a PITA to have working for me.