Well, the actions of the Univ. of Illinois are flatly unconstitutional. When government opens up a public forum limited for certain forms of free speech- such as a faculty courses on campus, it may discriminate on the basis of content (e.g. only courses leading to the degree may be allowed- not courses like the occult “sciences” ) but it may not discriminate on the basis of viewpoint. And this is what the Univ. of Illinois has done here.
Agreed. What makes you think I’m defending the U of Illinois? Actually, it’s the action of the head of the religion dept. which is at the center. The University now has a choice, to back up that dept. chair or throw him under the bus. The preliminary signs are that they will back him up, which is stupid but likely.
But they could, if they wanted to throw him under the bus. Let’s hope someone in upper adminstration, specifically in the General Counsel’s office, recognizes that his actions are big-time settlement lawsuit bait.