California College District Fails to End Free Speech Lawsuit

A California public community college district must answer claims that it retaliated against a professor who made allegedly offensive comments during faculty and union meetings.

Philosophy professor Michael Stannard can proceed with his free-speech retaliation suit against State Center Community College District because he plausibly alleged that he was speaking as a private citizen—not a state employee—on a matter of public concern when he made remarks that led to reprimands under the district’s anti-discrimination and harassment policies, the US District Court for the Eastern District of California said Wednesday. SCCCD didn’t show that its ...