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Court Upholds Professor's Free Speech Rights at UW

12/23/2025

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Summary

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The Ninth Circuit Court ruled that the University of Washington violated Professor Stuart Reges's free speech rights by retaliating against him for mocking the university's land acknowledgment.
Reges, a computer science professor, faced an investigation after parodying the acknowledgment in his syllabus.
The court stated that Reges's comments were protected academic speech, reversing a lower court's ruling.
FIRE attorney Gabe Walters called the decision a victory for First Amendment rights.
Reges hopes his win will inspire others to defend free expression on college campuses.

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Story summary

The Ninth Circuit Court ruled that the University of Washington violated Professor Stuart Reges's free speech rights by retaliating against him for mocking the university's land acknowledgment.
Reges, a computer science professor, faced an investigation after parodying the acknowledgment in his syllabus.
The court stated that Reges's comments were protected academic speech, reversing a lower court's ruling.
FIRE attorney Gabe Walters called the decision a victory for First Amendment rights.
Reges hopes his win will inspire others to defend free expression on college campuses.