University pays $80K to student in free speech lawsuit settlement.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Settles Lawsuit, Protecting Students’ First Amendment Rights
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) recently reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed by one of its former students, Maggie DeJong. The university agreed to pay $80,000 to DeJong, who was pursuing a master’s degree in art therapy counseling at the time.
DeJong’s journey took an unexpected turn when she received three no-contact orders from the school. These orders were issued after three fellow students complained about DeJong expressing her political opinions, which were influenced by her Christian faith. DeJong openly shared her conservative views and posted about them on her social media platforms.
Recognizing the violation of her First Amendment rights, DeJong took legal action against the university. “Public universities can’t punish students for expressing their political and religious viewpoints,” stated Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Mathew Hoffmann. “Maggie, like every other student, is protected under the First Amendment to respectfully share her personal beliefs, and university officials were wrong to issue gag orders and silence her speech.”
The settlement not only compensates DeJong but also marks a significant step towards protecting freedom of thought and speech on campus. Former Chancellor Randall G. Pembrook, Director Jamie Ball, and Program Director Megan A. Robb will undergo a First Amendment training session conducted by the Alliance Defending Freedom. Additionally, the university has committed to revising its policies to ensure that students with diverse political, religious, and ideological views feel welcome in the art therapy program.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois supported DeJong’s case, stating, “DeJong clearly has the right, as enshrined in the First Amendment, to express her religious, political, and social views on her personal social media account and to engage in mutual conversations with fellow students regarding those opinions without fear of retaliation from school officials.”
SIUE, with an undergraduate population of fewer than 10,000 students in 2021, is one of two campuses in the Southern Illinois University system. DeJong successfully completed her degree around the same time the lawsuit was filed.
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