In February 2019, Speech First, a national membership group of students, alumni, and others that defends free speech on campus, filed a reply brief in Speech First v. Fenves in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Speech First asked the court for a preliminary injunction, a court order that would block the university’s policies while the case goes on.
The university said it “robustly protects … free speech,” but the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) had just given it a “red light” rating for the twelfth year in a row, meaning it “clearly and substantially restricts protected speech.” The university also called Speech First an outside group with no connection to campus. In fact, Speech First has several members who attend the university, and Speech First argued the challenged policies plainly violate their rights, despite the university’s promises to use the policies responsibly.
Read the full brief below:
