Today #SCOTUS heard oral argument in Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski, where a Georgia Gwinnett College student was threatened with arrest for speaking inside of a “Free Speech zone” on campus, sued, then never received justice because of sneaky legal loopholes. https://www.becketlaw.org/media/supreme-court-considers-vindication-silenced-student/

When Uzuegbunam sued the school for its misdeeds, Georgia Gwinnett backtracked and changed its policy. They said that because Chike had graduated and was not asking for a large sum of “compensatory damages,” his case should be thrown out. Lower courts agreed.

The college’s actions don’t right the wrong that occurred to Uzuegbunam. He was threatened with arrest by campus police for exercising a #FirstAmendment right—peacefully and respectfully sharing his faith.

Our amicus brief pointed out that prisons, universities, and other government actors frequently make insincere and temporary rule changes to escape justice for their unconstitutional policies: https://s3.amazonaws.com/becketnewsite/Uzuegbunam-v.-Preczewski-Amicus-Brief.pdf

During argument in Uzuegbunam, the Justices expressed concern that the college’s position on damages could harm victims beyond this case. #SCOTUS

Justice Kagan pointed out that Taylor Swift’s sexual assault case against a radio host “was unquestionable physical harm, but she just asked for this one dollar to say that she had been harmed.” “In the same way” that Taylor Swift’s dollar “compensated her, so too here.”

And Justice Gorsuch was concerned that many of the amicus briefs filed with the Court—including Becket's—point out that some groups “have religious scruples against seeking damages for injuries suffered,” and that under the college’s rule, these religious groups “lose out.”

#SCOTUS should see this for what it is—the constitutional equivalent of a hit-and-run. #SCOTUS #FreeSpeech #Uzuegbunam

College campuses should be a place where students can enjoy #FreeSpeech with confidence. Other college campus disputes are also heating up with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship v. @UIowa oral argument tomorrow, which decides if IVCF can choose their leaders based on faith.

Uzuegbunam’s case is the latest #religiousfreedom case in #SCOTUS’ docket this term. Last month, the Court decided Tanzin v. Tanvir (Muslim #RFRA case) and we are awaiting decision in #FultonvPhiladelphia ( #FreetoFoster).