A ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has determined that the University of Washington infringed on the First Amendment rights of Stuart Reges, a computer science professor. The case stems from Reges’ inclusion of a controversial land acknowledgment in a syllabus, which drew criticism from students and led to a lengthy disciplinary investigation.
Reges, who has been with UW's Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering since 2004, crafted a parody acknowledgment that challenged the university's recommendation regarding statements recognizing Coast Salish peoples. His remarks, which referenced philosopher John Locke, claimed that indigenous peoples could assert ownership over very little of the land currently occupied by the university.
The investigation lasted over a year, resulting in a public apology from the Allen School, although Reges was not formally sanctioned. Notably, the court ruled that the warning he received about potential disciplinary action for repeating his statement constituted a violation of his free speech rights.
The university has stated it is evaluating its options following the ruling. Potential actions include seeking a rehearing from the full Ninth Circuit or appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. If no further actions are taken, the case will return to district court to establish remedies.