this post was submitted on 20 May 2025
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Lawsuit from University of Central Florida professor targeted for tweets survives summary judgment motions (www.thefire.org)
submitted 2 weeks ago by Pro@programming.dev to c/technology@lemmy.world
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I post this here because I think there is a interesting discussion out of this, what do you people think about this?

In the summer of 2020, two issues dominated the headlines: the COVID pandemic and the widespread unrest surrounding George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, and the “racial reckoning.” It was in this environment, with the country also at or near the apex of “cancel culture,” that the University of Central Florida tried to fire associate professor of psychology Charles Negy for his tweets about race and society. Negy fought back and sued.

Five years later, his lawsuit continues — and last week, it brought good news not just for Professor Negy but for everyone who cares about free speech on campus.

Last week, Judge Carlos E. Mendoza of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida ruled that Negy’s lawsuit could proceed against four of the five administrators he sued. Importantly, the court denied claims of qualified immunity, a doctrine that says public officials aren’t liable for unconstitutional activity unless they knew or should have known their actions were unconstitutional. By denying qualified immunity to UCF’s administrators, Judge Mendoza formally recognized what was obvious from the very beginning: UCF knew or should have known that what it was doing violated the First Amendment, but they went ahead and did it anyway.

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[–] ToastedRavioli@midwest.social 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

After some students complained to the school about Negy’s tweets, UCF responded by soliciting further complaints about him. That led to the opening of an investigation into Negy’s classroom speech as well. Seven months later, what began as an investigation of tweets led to 300 interviews; which led to a (get ready for this) 244-page report. As I wrote at the time, the report made absolute hash of academic freedom with what struck me as nonsensical lines drawn between speech it believed to be protected and unprotected:

According to the UCF investigation, it is protected speech to say that girl scouts preserve their virginity (p. 25), but not that women are attracted to men with money (p. 26). It is protected speech to say that Jesus was schizophrenic (p. 36), but unprotected to say that Jesus did not come into the world to die for everyone’s sins (p. 36). It’s protected to say that Islam is cruel and not a religion of peace (p. 107) but not that it is a toxic mythology (p. 35).

This shit is so ridiculous. As someone who is ardently progressive, this is literally the reason why progressives fail to succeed in a nutshell. So much wasted time on people like this guy, who should be allowed to make his point, be derided by those who disagree, and everyone can move on.

But instead, no. We need 300 interviews and a 244 page report where a bunch of morons who make 6 figures a year in public/tuition money try to draw the line of what is an acceptable vs unacceptable opinion to have about random topics. And somehow, after 244 pages of writing that nonsense, no one stopped to think “hey, maybe were in the wrong here and this makes absolutely zero fucking sense whatsoever”

Winning political power to effect change isnt going to come from tossing out the 1st amendment and trying to criticize every opinion anyone ever has about anything. People should have the right to be wrong and change their minds. No one is born cognizant of how to not socially offend the sensibilities of everyone from the jump.

If progressives want to build the future they want for this country, they need to change hearts and minds. Meet disagreement on opinions with as much sensitivity as you demand out of everybody else not to offend you. Then maybe we can actually get somewhere. Ive never had a problem getting people to stop acting racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, etc just by not responding positively to that bullshit, and telling them facts about reality. Its not hard to change peoples views if you dont start by telling them they are a terrible person who should either adopt your view or parish

[–] rowdyrockets@lemm.ee 9 points 2 weeks ago

It’s the University’s responsibility to act when students make reports of hurtful comments coming from a position of power.

If Negy wanted to spew his hate - he could have gone and sat his ass on the Free Speech lawn. Not his lecture hall.