New Orleans Times-Picayune, LSU Must Return Law Professor Ken Levy to the Classroom, Judge Rules:
LSU must immediately allow law professor Ken Levy to return to teaching, an East Baton Rouge Parish district judge ruled Tuesday night.
The university is also barred from interfering with Levy's employment — including suspension — and from violating his free speech and due process rights, under a preliminary injunction granted by Judge Tarvald Smith.
Smith's order came after two days of testimony at the 19th Judicial District Courthouse in a lawsuit filed by Levy, a tenured law professor at LSU. …
Smith's order takes effect immediately.
"Your client should get back to the business of training lawyers and let professors teach, especially those that are tenured," Smith told LSU's attorneys before he ruled from the bench on Tuesday night.
He said he hoped that Louisiana's flagship university would allow professors to "invite rigorous debate and dialogue" without being punished for it. …
"Tenure is to be respected," he said. "It vests in that professor certain academic freedom that they should be afforded in a classroom. They should be able to tell if they're a tree-hugging liberal or a certain-flag-waiving conservative." …
Audio recordings of the first day of Levy's Administration of Criminal Justice course on Jan. 14 reveal Levy saying "f*** the governor" as well as telling students he could put them in jail if they broke his no-recording policy, both of which prompted student laughter.
They also revealed Levy telling students he is a Democrat and saying, "I couldn't believe that f****r won,” referring to Trump's election victory in November.
Governor Landry responded on X:
Imagine sending your child to college for a good education and THIS is the type of test they receive. Disgusting and inexcusable behavior from Ken Levy. Deranged behavior like this has no place in our classrooms!
If tenure protects a professor from this type of conduct, then maybe it’s time to abolish tenure.
Imagine sending your child to college for a good education and THIS is the type of test they receive. Disgusting and inexcusable behavior from Ken Levy. Deranged behavior like this has no place in our classrooms!
If tenure protects a professor from this type of conduct, then… pic.twitter.com/Bj5JS3VrsF
— Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) February 12, 2025
- ABA News, Judge Orders LSU to Reinstate Professor Who Was Removed Following Political Comments
- Inside Higher Ed, Professor Suspended After Trump Remarks Back in Class—Again
- LSU Reveille, LSU Law Professor Will Return to Teaching Classes After Court Order
- WAFB, Judge Kicks LSU Lawyer Out of Courtroom
- WAFB, Judge Rules in LSU Law Professor Case
- Louisiana Illuminator, Gov. Landry Forced to Provide Text Messages About Sidelined LSU Law Professor
Prior TaxProf Blog coverage:
- LSU Law Prof Removed From Classes Amid Investigation Into Political Comments (Jan. 22, 2025)
- Tenured Law Prof Sues LSU For Removing Him From Teaching After Allegedly Saying ‘F*** Trump’ In Class (Jan. 29, 2025)
- Judge Orders LSU To Reinstate Law Prof Removed From Teaching Due To Political Comments In Class (Feb. 2, 2025)
- Appeals Court Blocks Order Requiring LSU To Reinstate Law Prof Who ‘Used Vulgar Language To Criticize Gov. Landry And President Trump’ (Feb. 6, 2025)
