Table of Contents
Dust Settling on Kehowski Case
In today’s round-up of news bytes, 鷡’s press release announcing that Professor Walter Kehowski has settled his case with the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD). Yesterday MCCCD put up its officially announcing that the settlement has been reached:
An agreement has been reached between the Maricopa Community Colleges and Glendale Community College math professor Walter Kehowski that allows the professor to return to the classroom this fall.As part of the agreement, Kehowski’s use of the district e-mail system will be restricted.Both parties agree that no further comment will be made regarding the agreement or past actions that led to the proceedings or settlement.
The settlement is welcome news to Professor Kehowski, who faced imminent unemployment on account of his Thanksgiving e-mail.
The settlement is due in no small part to the public outrage that rained down upon MCCCD. The public caught hold of Kehowski’s case as soon as FIREissued our first press release explaining that MCCCD planned to fire Kehowski for sending an e-mail to the college community that contained George Washington’s “Thanksgiving Day Proclamation of 1789.” In the weeks following that press release, stories about Kehowski appeared in , the , , the , , , and the New York Post. Kehowski and FIREstaffers also appeared on the on KTTH-AM Seattle, the nationally syndicated , and most memorably on FOX News’ Hannity and Colmes. In addition to this media attention, people from across the country wrote in to MCCCD Chancellor Rufus Glasper, calling on him to drop the charges against Kehowski. Kansas State Representative Benjamin Hodge even petitioned MCCCD to drop the case against Kehowski.
The successful resolution of this case not only vindicates Professor Kehowski, but shows that an increasingly indignant and vociferous public will not sit quietly by as universities blatantly abuse harassment policies, ruining the lives of professors and students in the process.
Recent Articles
鷡’s award-winning Newsdesk covers the free speech news you need to stay informed.
VICTORY! Maine hospital backs down from defamation threat over teen’s criticism
When 15-year-old Samson Cournane wrote a petition calling attention to patient-safety concerns at a local hospital, the hospital threatened to sue his mother for defamation.
149 days and counting! Will the White House grant a posthumous pardon in the D.M. Bennett Case? — First Amendment News 447
First Amendment News is a weekly blog and newsletter about free expression issues by Ronald K. L. Collins and is editorially independent from ֭.
Socratic free speech scholar Frederick Schauer dies at 78 — First Amendment News 446
Frederick Schauer’s New York Times obit described him as the “scholar who scrutinized free speech.” How true, and in so many ways.
FIREreminds Michigan town that residents have the right to ‘concealed carry’ campaign literature in polling places
A Michigan election official sparked controversy after the 2024 primary election when she stated she had banned campaign literature inside polling locations.