Baton Rouge, LA. (AP) – The judge completely at Louisiana State University, a professor who was excluded from his education mandate last month after using vulgar language to criticize Gov. Jeff Landry and President Donald Trump during lectures. I ordered it to be resurrected.
The ruling, which allows Professor Ken Levi to return to his classroom this week, was issued following the end of a hearing on Tuesday in a lawsuit against the university. During the two days of testimony, law students and another professor said Levi’s removal was given to them, exacerbating their fear of speaking freely in the classroom.
“If we lost this, everyone was vulnerable,” Levy said Tuesday night outside Baton Rouge Court House, particularly about faculty and students from other universities. “So my victory is their victory.”
The legal battle comes from an anonymous student’s complaints about what the professor said on the first day of his criminal justice course in January.
Transcripts of recordings filmed in class, shared and published in court SupportersLevy said, “Governor of f (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk)” and told students that they could be put in prison if they break unrecorded policies. Levy said the comments were made “just like a joke” and several students who testified interpreted it as humor.
Furthermore, Levy, who told students he was a Democrat, mentioned the November presidential election, saying, “He couldn’t believe that f (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) (asterisk) , used expletive to talk about Trump.
Within days, the university administrator told Levy that he was relieved from his educational responsibility, “we are waiting for an investigation into student complaints of inappropriate statements made in class,” according to Levy’s lawsuit. I told you.
Levy’s lawyer, Jill Kraft, said the removal of the professor violated his academic freedom and lacked his right to justice. Jimmy Faircross Jr., the university’s leading lawyer, argued that the initial findings showed that Levy created a sleazy classroom environment for students who do not share the same political views as the professor. Faircloth also said the lawsuit was premature as the lawsuit was removed only from his classroom, but was still paid and allowed to be on campus.
In a ruling from the bench on Tuesday night, 19th Judicial District Judge Talvald Smith said Levy’s vulgarity was fine under the presented context, with negative comments about the politicians not being asserted. He said it was a “way of life.”
Additionally, Smith said he hopes that state funding universities will allow professors to “invite harsh discussions and dialogues” to prepare law students who enter career fields that face opposition daily. I stated.
“Your client should go back to the business of lawyer training and have your professors teach,” Smith told Faircross.
One name that was repeatedly mentioned throughout the hearing was Governor Landry, a Republican and ally of Trump. Since taking office last year, Laundry made national news For his drastic conservative agenda, it includes laws requiring the Ten Commandments. Submitted to all public classroomsa Texas-style immigration measuresextension of How to execute Scale for classifying abortion medications As a dangerous controlled substance.
Last November, laundry publicly He called on Louisiana State University to discipline another law professor, Nicholas Breiner. Nicholas Breiner criticized Trump and the students who voted for him during the lecture. Breiner is employed by the school. Levi cited that particular situation as a reason for the no-recording policy in the class.
In Levy’s case, Landry also worked on X, saying that the professor’s actions “should not be tolerated.” Levy testified that he received death threats following the governor’s post.
Landry’s Office did not respond to requests for comment via email Tuesday.
If the governor played any role in removing the professor, some residents, students and Levy’s lawyers have been asked, but Faircross said it was a “conspiratoral story” and that “political motivations are There’s none.”
The president of William Tate IV University testified Tuesday that he was his decision to remove the collection, adding that he “had never spoke to the governor about this issue.” Tate reviewed the transcript of what Levy said, saying he felt that “the whole thing is above what you would expect to see in the classroom.”
Others continue to worry that their lectures may be scrutinized, especially if they disagree with the views of the elected officials they sit on. Among those who are worried are Professor Patrick Martin IV. He says he may teach jurisprudence and discuss Louisiana’s new commandment requirements.
“Is there a chance that I might be stopped?” Martin asked in court. “That’s real fear.”
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