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The Academic Freedom Podcast

Meriwether v. Shawnee State: Is All Classroom Speech Free Speech?

Jun 8, 2021
Jonathan Adler, a constitutional law expert at Case Western Reserve University, Jeannie Suk Gersen, a leading scholar at Harvard Law, and Steve Sanders, a law professor at Indiana University, dive into the pivotal Meriwether v. Shawnee State case. They explore how this ruling is reshaping the conversation around classroom speech and academic freedom, examining the balance between personal views and institutional policies. Their discussion touches on sensitive topics like race, gender, and identity, raising vital questions about free speech rights in academia.
01:11:26

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Quick takeaways

  • The Sixth Circuit Court's ruling in Meriwether v. Shawnee State emphasizes that professors retain First Amendment rights within classroom settings, impacting free speech precedents.
  • The panelists discussed the intricate balance between academic freedom and respectful classroom practices, particularly regarding the use of preferred pronouns for student inclusivity.

Deep dives

Overview of Academic Freedom Alliance

The Academic Freedom Alliance is an organization that defends principles of academic freedom across American universities. It consists of professors from various ideological backgrounds who work to uphold free speech rights for educators. A key focus of the alliance is to protect individual professors whose rights to free expression are threatened. The alliance aims to provide support and advocacy for these educators, particularly in the context of legal and institutional challenges.

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