Wisconsin Legislation Would Strip Grants, Allow Lawsuits Against Colleges Violating Free Speech Rights

Wisconsin Legislation Would Strip Grants, Allow Lawsuits Against Colleges Violating Free Speech Rights
Wisconsin State Representative Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican) official portrait, Wisconsin Assembly Republican Caucus, CC BY-SA 4.0
Matthew Vadum
Matthew Vadum
contributor
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A Wisconsin state lawmaker’s new legislation would penalize the state’s public universities and state technical colleges for violations of free speech rights or academic freedom.

The legislation comes after years of pressure from activists and state lawmakers who believe that the University of Wisconsin (UW) hasn’t done enough to defend free speech on campus. A prior measure in the Legislature that would have expelled students who disrupted invited speakers on campus failed to be approved by the state Legislature, according to a Longview News-Journal summary.