Carleton comments on University of Michigan free speech case

Involving itself in a fourth “free speech” case impacting a U.S. college campus, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently issued a statement of interest in response to a University of Michigan lawsuit. A complaint was filed against the U of M by a group called Speech First, claiming that the university’s anti-bullying, - harassment and -bias policy is unconstitutional. The DOJ agrees with Speech First due to the policy’s unclear, subjective definitions of the violations.

Bricker Higher Education Attorney Melissa Carleton offered her comments in a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article, stating that the group is alleging the university’s rules acted as “a prior restraint on speech – basically, censorship from the get-go.