Free Speech in Florida: BREANNA NEEDS TO LEARN ABOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT THAT SHE TOOK AN OATH TO UPHOLD

11:31 PM ON Today109

Higher Education

Professors sue University of Florida, claiming free speech restraints

The state flagship school had reversed course earlier Friday, saying professors could testify against the DeSantis administration

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4 min

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/11/05/university-florida-uf-professors-desantis/ 

By Lori Rozsa and Susan Svrluga

Today at 4:01 p.m. EDT|Updated today at 7:26 p.m. EDT

Three professors filed a lawsuit against the University of Florida on Friday, claiming school officials violated their right to free speech by trying to prevent them from offering testimony in a voting rights case.

The case further inflames a heated debate over academic freedom, one that has brought national attention and criticism to the state flagship university.

It was filed on the same day school officials reversed course: After a week of controversy and pushback from faculty, alumni and academics across the country, the University of Florida on Friday said the three political science professors should not be barred from testifying in a voting rights lawsuit against the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).