Kilborn v. Amiridis

Plaintiff filed a lawsuit against several officials of the university where he worked alleging that they violated his constitutional rights to free speech and due process after he was found to have violated the university’s non-discrimination policy. In conjunction with that finding, plaintiff was suspended from teaching until he completed a diversity training program and denied a two percent raise. The district court granted defendants’ motion to dismiss and plaintiff appealed. The Seventh Circuit reversed the dismissal of plaintiff’s First Amendment retaliation claim by finding that a university professor’s academic speech receives qualified First Amendment protection but affirmed the dismissal of his remaining federal claims. The appellate court also vacated the dismissal of his state law claims because he had a viable federal claim. (ROVNER and HAMILTON, concurring)