University of Wisconsin Officials Avoid Speech Retaliation Suit

The First Amendment retaliation suit by an outspoken University of Wisconsin-Madison student who was told he didn’t qualify for a position on a temporary student-government board was properly dismissed on qualified immunity grounds, the Seventh Circuit said.

Mohammad Siddique failed to show that he had a clearly established federal right to the position, the Wednesday opinion by Judge Michael S. Kanne said.

Siddique successfully advocated to defund the student government coordinator’s position held by David Stockton, to withdraw student support for a new student union building, and to increase autonomy for the student government.

When Siddique applied for a position ...