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The Onslaught On Academic Freedom, Mark Strasser

Mark Strasser

The United States Supreme Court has long recognized the importance of academic freedom both within and outside of the classroom. However, in a case having nothing to do with the academy, Garcetti v. Ceballos, the Court cast into doubt the validity of an entire line of cases, almost inviting the circuits to rewrite First Amendment doctrine in the entire area. The circuits have responded, creating a jurisprudence that threatens to bring about the negative consequences discussed over the past half-century. This article explores the First Amendment protections of academic freedom, explaining how Garcetti and the courts interpreting it have eviscerated …