PRESS BRIEFING TODAY at 12:30 p.m. ET: Lawyers and plaintiffs in this case will offer brief remarks on today’s lawsuit, followed by a question-and-answer period for media. Zoom webinar link is here: https://aclu.zoom.us/j/87237127028
If Gov. DeSantis and Florida’s legislative leaders demonstrated anything during today’s press conference, it is that they fundamentally do not understand how Florida’s higher education system
works. Tenure protects the right of faculty to teach and research honestly and accurately without the
threat of politicians who would fire them for doing their jobs, and it protects the rights of students to
learn about whatever interests them without being told by big government how to live their lives.
Earlier today, Judge Mark E. Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida denied the state’s motion to dismiss UFF’s lawsuit. UFF continues to call for all members of the higher education community to boycott this
survey in order to protect fundamental freedoms on Florida’s university and college campuses as our lawsuit continues through the federal court system.
Recent events at the University of Florida have made it clear that academic freedom, free
speech, and the role that higher education plays in promoting the public good are key issues for
the 2022 Florida Governor’s race.
Shortly after our news conference, UF President Kent Fuchs stated “I have also asked UF’s Conflicts of Interest Office to reverse the decisions on recent requests by UF employees to serve as expert witnesses in litigation in which the state of Florida is a party and to approve the requests regardless of personal compensation, assuming the activity is on their own time without using university resources.”
On behalf of the 25,000 higher education professionals UFF represents, we call on UF to get out of the way and allow faculty to tell the truth based on their expertise and research. UFF will defend our members if the university takes any disciplinary action against them….
