WI bill protecting free speech at public universities, holding college administrators accountable awaits action by governor

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer, director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, regarding AB 885, a bill sent by the Wisconsin Legislature to Gov. Tony Evers this week that protects freedom of speech at public universities by eliminating immunity for college administrators from liability when they violate the First Amendment rights of students:

“Government officials must be held accountable for unconstitutional or illegal actions, and that is especially true for university administrators who have a tremendous responsibility to respect students’ free speech rights. Too often, we see college officials hiding behind the ‘qualified immunity’ doctrine to get a free pass after they knowingly break the law. Therefore, we commend the Wisconsin Legislature for taking this crucial step to limit immunity for college administrators when they have violated students’ constitutionally protected freedoms under the First Amendment, and for working to protect freedom of speech on Wisconsin’s public university campuses. We urge Gov. Evers to quickly sign this important legislation.”

• Pronunciation guide: Langhofer (LANG’-hoff-ur)

The ADF Center for Academic Freedom is dedicated to ensuring freedom of speech and association for students and faculty so that everyone can freely participate in the marketplace of ideas without fear of government censorship.

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