USC Gets Professor’s Claims Over Covid-19, Other Speech Trimmed

A University of Southern California professor lacks free speech and other constitution-based claims over the initiation of disciplinary action for his allegedly insensitive and racist comments, including about Covid-19, a Los Angeles federal judge ruled.

Joel Hay’s June 22 lawsuit didn’t allege a basis for finding USC—which is not a public university—engaged in state action, the US District Court for the Southern District of California said. A private employer must be shown to be a state actor to be sued under the First Amendment and other constitutional provisions, the court said.

According to Hay, he has taught health and pharmaceutical ...