Thread by @donmoyn

Part of a consistent pattern by a public Texas institution to violate the first amendment by threatening and then firing faculty for exercising protected speech rights. But it doesn't make a dent in the broader discourse because it doesn't fit a very specific narrative. 1/

https://twitter.com/drphillips2001/status/1488211959497506819

This history professor says he was fired from their university after they visibly advocated for the removal of confederate statutes and criticized the absence of public health messaging on campus. 2/

Couple of points here. This is at least the fourth prof removed in similar circumstances by this college. The last one won a settlement. But the institution just keeps on doing it. Sometimes, a fine is just a price for misbehavior, not a disincentive. 3/ lawandcrime.com/first-amendmen…

This college can create an atmosphere where faculty know they can be fired for speech because it does not have tenure. That is why a) attacks on tenure are attacks on speech protections, and b) why adjunct faculty are especially vulnerable to efforts to shut down speech. 4/

It seems to be possible to activate a free speech coalition to come defend you, but only under certain circumstances, which often involves speech that creates offense among historically marginalized population at fancy institutions. Being critical of power isn't enough. 5/

The coalition there to defend someone on paid leave* for remarks that will reasonably raise concerns among students of color will be mostly marked absent when a Texas professor is fired b/c of fairly mundane speech on health and race.
*He won't be fired, and shouldn't be IMO. 6/